+** Startup time
+
+Measure and display startup time. Also, temporarily increase
+~gc-cons-threshhold~ during startup to reduce reduce garbage
+collection frequency. Taken from [[https://github.com/dieggsy/dotfiles/tree/3d95bc08033920e077855caf545a975eba52d28d/emacs.d#startup-time][here]].
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(defconst ab--emacs-start-time (current-time))
+(defconst ab--gc-cons-threshold gc-cons-threshold)
+(defconst ab--gc-cons-percentage gc-cons-percentage)
+(defvar ab--file-name-handler-alist file-name-handler-alist)
+(setq gc-cons-threshold 400000000
+ gc-cons-percentage 0.6
+ file-name-handler-alist nil
+ ;; sidesteps a bug when profiling with esup
+ esup-child-profile-require-level 0)
+#+end_src
+
+Reset the variables back to default after init.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(add-hook
+ 'after-init-hook
+ `(lambda ()
+ (setq gc-cons-threshold ab--gc-cons-threshold
+ gc-cons-percentage ab--gc-cons-percentage
+ file-name-handler-alist ab--file-name-handler-alist)
+ (let ((elapsed (float-time (time-subtract (current-time)
+ ab--emacs-start-time))))
+ (message "Loading %s...done (%.3fs) [after-init]"
+ ,load-file-name elapsed))))
+#+end_src
+
+** Package management
+
+*** =straight.el=
+
+#+begin_quote
+Next-generation, purely functional package manager for the Emacs
+hacker.
+#+end_quote
+
+=straight.el= allows me to have a fully reproducible Emacs setup.
+
+**** Bootstrap
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(let ((bootstrap-file (concat user-emacs-directory "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"))
+ (bootstrap-version 3))
+ (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
+ (with-current-buffer
+ (url-retrieve-synchronously
+ "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
+ 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
+ (goto-char (point-max))
+ (eval-print-last-sexp)))
+ (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
+#+end_src
+
+**** Useful helpers
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(defun ab/reload-init ()
+ "Reload init.el."
+ (interactive)
+ (straight-transaction
+ (straight-mark-transaction-as-init)
+ (message "Reloading init.el...")
+ (load user-init-file nil 'nomessage)
+ (message "Reloading init.el... done.")))
+
+(defun ab/eval-buffer ()
+ "Evaluate the current buffer as Elisp code."
+ (interactive)
+ (message "Evaluating %s..." (buffer-name))
+ (straight-transaction
+ (if (null buffer-file-name)
+ (eval-buffer)
+ (when (string= buffer-file-name user-init-file)
+ (straight-mark-transaction-as-init))
+ (load-file buffer-file-name)))
+ (message "Evaluating %s... done." (buffer-name)))
+#+end_src
+
+*** =use-package=
+
+#+begin_quote
+A use-package declaration for simplifying your .emacs
+#+end_quote
+
+=use-package= is an awesome utility for managing and configuring
+packages in a neatly organized way and without compromising on
+performance. So let's install it using =striaght.el= and have it use
+=straight.el= for installing packages.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(straight-use-package 'use-package)
+(setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
+#+end_src
+
+** No littering in =~/.emacs.d=
+
+#+begin_quote
+Help keeping ~/.emacs.d clean
+#+end_quote
+
+By default, even for Emacs' built-in packages, the configuration files
+and persistent data are all over the place. Use =no-littering= to help
+contain the mess.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package no-littering
+ :demand t
+ :config
+ (savehist-mode 1)
+ (add-to-list 'savehist-additional-variables 'kill-ring)
+ (save-place-mode 1)
+ (setq auto-save-file-name-transforms
+ `((".*" ,(no-littering-expand-var-file-name "auto-save/") t))))
+#+end_src
+
+** Custom file (=custom.el=)
+
+I'm not planning on using the custom file much, but even so, I
+definitely don't want it mixing with =init.el=. So, here, let's give
+it it's own file.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq custom-file (no-littering-expand-etc-file-name "custom.el"))
+(when (file-exists-p custom-file)
+ (load custom-file))
+#+end_src
+
+** Better =$PATH= handling
+
+Let's use [[https://github.com/purcell/exec-path-from-shell][exec-path-from-shell]] to make Emacs use the =$PATH= as set up
+in my shell.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package exec-path-from-shell
+ :defer 1
+ :init
+ (setq exec-path-from-shell-check-startup-files nil)
+ :config
+ (exec-path-from-shell-initialize)
+ ;; while we're at it, let's fix access to our running ssh-agent
+ (exec-path-from-shell-copy-env "SSH_AGENT_PID")
+ (exec-path-from-shell-copy-env "SSH_AUTH_SOCK"))
+#+end_src
+
+** Server
+
+Start server if not already running. Alternatively, can be done by
+issuing =emacs --daemon= in the terminal, which can be automated with
+a systemd service or using =brew services start emacs= on macOS. I use
+Emacs as my window manager (via =exwm=), so I always start Emacs on
+login; so starting the server from inside Emacs is good enough for me.
+
+See [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Emacs-Server.html#Emacs-Server][Using Emacs as a Server]].
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(require 'server)
+(unless (server-running-p)
+ (server-start))
+#+end_src
+
+* Core
+:PROPERTIES:
+:CUSTOM_ID: core
+:END:
+
+** Defaults
+
+*** Disable disabled commands
+
+Emacs disables some commands by default that could persumably be
+confusing for novice users. Let's disable that.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq disabled-command-function nil)
+#+end_src
+
+*** Kill-ring
+
+Save what I copy into clipboard from other applications into Emacs'
+kill-ring, which would allow me to still be able to easily access it
+in case I kill (cut or copy) something else inside Emacs before
+yanking (pasting) what I'd originally intended to.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq save-interprogram-paste-before-kill t)
+#+end_src
+
+*** Keep more =*Messages*=
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq message-log-max 10000)
+#+end_src
+
+*** Minibuffer
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq enable-recursive-minibuffers t
+ resize-mini-windows t)
+#+end_src
+
+*** Lazy-person-friendly yes/no prompts
+
+Lazy people would prefer to type fewer keystrokes, especially for yes
+or no questions. I'm lazy.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(defalias 'yes-or-no-p #'y-or-n-p)
+#+end_src
+
+*** =*scratch*=
+
+Let's customize the =*scratch*= buffer a bit. First off, I don't need
+the default hint.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq initial-scratch-message "")
+#+end_src
+
+Also, let's use Text mode as the major mode, in case I want to
+customize it (=*scratch*='s default major mode, Fundamental mode,
+can't really be customized).
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq initial-major-mode 'text-mode)
+#+end_src
+
+*** More useful frame titles
+
+Show either the file name or the buffer name (in case the buffer isn't
+visiting a file). Borrowed from Emacs Prelude.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq frame-title-format
+ '("" invocation-name " - "
+ (:eval (if (buffer-file-name)
+ (abbreviate-file-name (buffer-file-name))
+ "%b"))))
+#+end_src
+
+*** Backups
+
+Emacs' default backup settings aren't that great. Let's use more
+sensible options. See documentation for the ~make-backup-file~
+variable.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq backup-by-copying t
+ version-control t)
+#+end_src
+
+** Packages
+
+The packages in this section are absolutely essential to my everyday
+workflow, and they play key roles in how I do my computing. They
+immensely enhance the Emacs experience for me; both using Emacs, and
+customizing it.
+
+*** [[https://github.com/noctuid/general.el][general.el]]
+
+#+begin_quote
+More convenient key definitions in emacs
+#+end_quote
+
+More like /the most/ convenient key definitions in Emacs.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package general
+ :demand t
+ :config)
+#+end_src
+
+*** [[https://github.com/ch11ng/exwm][exwm]] (window manager)
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package exwm
+ :config
+ (require 'exwm-config)
+ (exwm-config-default))
+#+end_src
+
+*** [[https://orgmode.org/][Org mode]]
+
+#+begin_quote
+Org mode is for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, planning
+projects, and authoring documents with a fast and effective plain-text
+system.
+#+end_quote
+
+In short, my favourite way of life.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(setq org-src-tab-acts-natively t
+ org-src-preserve-indentation nil
+ org-edit-src-content-indentation 0)
+#+end_src
+
+*** [[https://magit.vc/][Magit]]
+
+#+begin_quote
+It's Magit! A Git porcelain inside Emacs.
+#+end_quote
+
+Not just how I do git, but /the/ way to do git.
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package magit
+ :general
+ ("s-g" 'magit-status))
+#+end_src
+
+*** [[https://github.com/abo-abo/swiper][Ivy]] (and friends)
+
+#+begin_quote
+Ivy - a generic completion frontend for Emacs, Swiper - isearch with
+an overview, and more. Oh, man!
+#+end_quote
+
+There's no way I could top that, so I won't attempt to.
+
+**** Ivy
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package ivy
+ :general
+ (ivy-minibuffer-map
+ [escape] 'keyboard-escape-quit
+ "C-j" 'ivy-next-line
+ "C-k" 'ivy-previous-line
+ [S-up] 'ivy-previous-history-element
+ [S-down] 'ivy-next-history-element
+ "DEL" 'ivy-backward-delete-char)
+ :config
+ (ivy-mode 1))
+#+end_src
+
+**** Swiper
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package swiper
+ :general ("C-s" 'swiper))
+#+end_src
+
+**** Counsel
+
+#+begin_src emacs-lisp
+(use-package counsel
+ :general
+ ("M-x" 'counsel-M-x
+ "C-x C-f" 'counsel-find-file
+ "s-r" 'counsel-recentf)
+ (imap minibuffer-local-map
+ "C-r" 'counsel-minibuffer-history)
+ :config
+ (counsel-mode 1)
+ (defalias 'locate #'counsel-locate))
+#+end_src