Bash Script to Merge Folders into ~/.config

Script to copy or move folders from your current directory into ~/.config, merging contents instead of deleting existing files/folders. Existing files in ~/.config will only be overwritten if they have the same name as files/folders being copied — no entire directories are removed.

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How It Works

1. Merging, Not Deleting

   • If ~/.config already has a folder (e.g., themes), the script copies/moves the contents of your source folder into it without deleting the entire destination folder.
   • Example:
     • ~/.config/themes/ already has old_style.css.
     • Your source themes/ has new_style.css.
     • After running: ~/.config/themes/ will contain both old_style.css and new_style.css.

2. Overwriting Specific Files

   • If a file exists in both the source and destination, the source file overwrites the destination file (e.g., themes/style.css in the source replaces ~/.config/themes/style.css).

3. Hidden Files Included

   • The /. suffix in "$folder"/. ensures hidden files (e.g., .config.json) are copied/merged too.

4. Move vs. Copy

   • Copy: Keeps your original folders untouched.
   • Move: Deletes the contents of your source folders after moving them (the empty source folder remains).

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How to Use

1. Save the script:

   nano restore.sh  

   Paste the code above, then save (Ctrl+O) and exit (Ctrl+X).

2. Make it executable:

   chmod +x restore.sh  

3. Run the script:

   ./restore.sh  

   • You’ll get a confirmation prompt before proceeding.
   • To switch from copy to move, edit the script and set ACTION="move".

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Example Scenario

Before:

./  
├── themes/  
│   ├── old_style.css    # Exists in ~/.config/themes/  
│   └── new_style.css    # Will overwrite ~/.config/themes/new_style.css  
└── shortcuts/  
    └── config.json      # New file  

After running with ACTION="copy":

~/.config/  
├── themes/  
│   ├── old_style.css    # **Preserved** (not deleted!)  
│   └── new_style.css    # **Overwritten** from source  
└── shortcuts/  
    └── config.json      # **Added**  

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Safety Tips

• Test with copy first: Always start with ACTION="copy" to avoid accidental data loss.
• Backup important config:

  cp -r ~/.config ~/.config_backup  

• Avoid running as root: Running with sudo could overwrite system-wide config files!

This script is ideal for syncing personal configuration folders while preserving existing settings in ~/.config.