macos-discovery

# macOS Application Configuration Discovery

This skill provides knowledge and methodology for discovering where macOS applications store their configuration files, preferences, and settings. It enables effective contribution to MacInventory's hints database.

## Overview

macOS applications store their configuration in predictable locations based on app type, development era, and sandboxing status. Understanding these patterns enables systematic discovery of config paths for any application.

### The Three-Tier Discovery System

MacInventory uses a three-tier approach to find application configurations:

1. **Tier 1 - Hints Database**: Curated YAML entries with verified config paths (highest trust)
2. **Tier 2 - Conventions**: Automatic scanning of standard macOS locations
3. **Tier 3 - LLM Research**: Web search and intelligent discovery for unknown apps

This skill supports all three tiers by providing the knowledge needed to research and document application configurations.

## Standard macOS Configuration Locations

### Primary Locations (Check First)

| Location                         | Purpose           | Typical Contents           |
|----------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------|
| `~/Library/Application Support/` | Modern app data   | Databases, caches, configs |
| `~/Library/Preferences/`         | Preference plists | `.plist` settings files    |
| `~/.config/`                     | XDG standard      | CLI tool configs           |
| `~/Library/Containers/`          | Sandboxed apps    | App-specific storage       |

### Secondary Locations (App-Specific)

| Location                             | Purpose         | Example Apps               |
|--------------------------------------|-----------------|----------------------------|
| `~/.appname/`                        | Dotfile configs | CLI tools, dev tools       |
| `~/Library/Group Containers/`        | Shared app data | iCloud-enabled apps        |
| `~/Library/Cach