What is zsh mac [Re-Titled by Moderator] Aug 5, 2025 · Z shell (zsh) is an extended version of the Bourne shell, offering numerous features, including theme customization and plugin support. While they share many similarities, they also have some significant differences. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the simple command to start using Zsh on macOS. In this article, I will give you an in-depth look at what Zsh is and how it can improve your Mac experience. Alternatively, you can change the default shell graphically in System Settings under Users & Groups by Ctrl-Clicking your profile picture and selecting "Advanced Apr 26, 2025 · The latest macOS systems comes with Z Shell (Zsh) as default shell, but who still preferred to use bash can still use it by switching the default shell. The one-page guide to zsh: usage, examples, links, snippets, and more. This is just one of many popular and useful command line tools for Mac. Z shell (Zsh) is a Unix shell built on top of bash (the default shell for macOS) wi Jan 3, 2019 · Z shell (zsh) and Oh My Zsh Z shell The Z shell, more commonly referred to as zsh, is a UNIX shell that is built on top of the Bourne shell (macOS default shell), better known as bash. This is your straightforward way to boost performance and keep those pesky errors at bay. It Apr 12, 2020 · Bash? Zsh? Which Shell to use in macOS Catalina What is a shell, and what does it have to do with macOS Catalina Introduction So, I'm learning Flutter now, trough the App Brewery's course Mar 19, 2025 · Compare the Bash vs. Luckily it's uncomplicated to fix. I was looking at the requirements to get homebrew setup, noticed it required bash, and then found out the default shell on OSX is zsh. Open the Terminal application on your Mac. com and a useful Ruby script to bring your command history with you, can be found on Github. Apr 11, 2025 · Learn the key differences between Zsh and Bash—two powerful Unix shells. - Installing ZSH · ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh Wiki This article dives into the differences between Bash and Zsh, comparing their features, scripting capabilities, performance, and customization options to help users choose the right shell for their needs in 2025. If it was for Mac admin scripts, sh or zsh would be better as Apple has made zsh the preferred shell, and has indicated other shell and scripting languages may not be included with macOS in the future. To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`. zshrc file is located, and how to access it so that you can customize your shell. 57, or using a package manager, you can install Bash v5 and later. Configuring the Zsh shell is a critical step in preparing your Mac development environment. Nov 23, 2021 · Zsh is based on the MIT licensing model, and Apple has chosen to make this the default shell because they are committed to supporting it with future versions. Like Tagged with macos, terminal, zsh, productivity. I noticed that it comes with zsh pre-installed, which seems to be a… May 15, 2025 · Zsh Permission Denied Wanna simplify the troubleshooting process? Zsh permission denied again? MacKeeper's Find & Fix tool offers a comprehensive solution for optimizing your Mac's Terminal performance. A key reason many programmers switch is all the different zsh is a UNIX command interpreter (shell) usable as an interactive login shell and as a shell script command processor. ZSH variables are case-sensitive. zsh_sessions. Think of it as the engine that powers your terminal, allowing you to interact with your Mac’s operating system using text-based commands. Switching to zsh provides many advantages such as more advanced autocompletion, theming, plugins, and histories. bash has and will be around for a while, but is exceedingly unlikely to ever get anything past any critical or security fixes; to ever get any function or feature updates. Nothing. Aug 5, 2025 · In brief, zsh offers more flexibility and a better user experience than Bash. Dec 23, 2024 · Customizing the zsh prompt in the macOS terminal can greatly enhance your productivity and overall user experience. You can change the shell that new Terminal windows and tabs open with. Is it necessary to use zsh shell options in the . With both Bash and Zsh providing compelling advantages, selecting the right shell for scripting can significantly shape your productivity, and simplify your daily tasks. zshrc # Add zsh-syntax-highlighting and plugins=(zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting zsh-completions) 5: Installing other Zsh themes We have a guide on top Zsh themes you can install not provided by Oh-my-Zsh framework: Best Terminal Shell Prompts for Zsh, Bash and Fish Install Spaceship theme Install using brew: brew install Jan 15, 2021 · Every new Mac uses the (Zsh) by default, but you can quickly and easily switch the default shell back to Bash. 🙃 A delightful community-driven (with 2,400+ contributors) framework for managing your zsh configuration. zshrc file, to manipulate how Feb 3, 2022 · . For example, you may need to be using the bash shell to . Jan 22, 2021 · Every Mac comes with a Unix shell that provides a command line interface. It is essentially the same thing as bash but just has many additional features. The familiar bash shell was gone, replaced by a new shell called zsh. Your user account on your Mac. The Missing Package Manager for macOS (or Linux). 2. It covers an overview of both shells, the steps for setting them up, Documentation for the missing package manager for macOS (or Linux). In this comprehensive 2500+ word guide, I‘ll provide detailed background on Zsh, walk through the update process step-by-step, […] Aug 5, 2025 · Read to know why your Mac getting Zsh permission denied and how to fix the Mac permission denied error, including changing permissions on Mac. . Macs running macOS 10. Create a modern, GPU-accelerated terminal environment for enhanced development workflow. Zshrc is a configuration file that contains the commands that run the zsh shell, just like the . Look at your Terminal > Settings panel for your default shell profile. Check out these handpicked tips on how to solve it. When you launch zsh, the zshrc file needed for configuration is not created by default, so you must Many developers rave about Oh My Zsh, an open-source, community-driven framework built on top of the zsh shell and playing around with Oh My Zsh has been on my bucket list for some time. Zsh is designed to be a highly customizable shell with an interactive command-line interface for executing commands, running shell scripts, and performing various system administration tasks. Nov 14, 2023 · Improve your Bash & zsh Shell skills with the handy shortcuts featured in this convenient cheat sheet! Mar 12, 2024 · Zsh is the default shell for macOS and Kali Linux. Anyway, one of the keys to a smooth-running Mac is regular maintenance. Your shell did not change. Customizing the zsh prompt on macOS allows for a more personalized and efficient terminal experience. Meaning if you need to use Feb 14, 2025 · $ vim ~/. COMMAND-1 input Oct 14, 2024 · If you’re a mac-based developer like me, and you never quite understood the difference between Bash Tagged with bash, zsh, macbook, shell. So open up a Terminal — or iTerm — window and create that file like this; I am using nano as a text editor but feel free to use whatever text editor you feel comfortable with: Jun 21, 2025 · Setting up your macOS shell environment properly is crucial for an efficient development workflow. Before that, Macs used the Bash shell by default. Jun 8, 2019 · An extensive collection of articles on switching to zsh on the mac can be found on scriptingosx. Discover which is better for scripting, performance, customization, and productivity in your terminal workflow. In this series, I will document my experiences moving bash settings, configurations, and scripts over to zsh. As a long-time Apple user, I was curious about this change and wanted to understand why Apple made the switch to zsh. By customizing the prompt, you can personalize it to suit your preferences and make it more informative and visually appealing. Since macOS Catalina, Apple has made Zsh the default shell, replacing Bash. It has replaced Bash as the default shell in Terminal, providing enhancements like plugin frameworks and automatic spelling correction for minor typing errors. By editing this file, you can customize your terminal environment to suit your preferences and streamline your workflow. Just use Homebrew to get the latest. It is a shell script that Zsh runs whenever you start a new terminal session. Hi there! I just started using a MacBook Pro M1 Pro, which is my very first Mac. Jun 24, 2020 · This is an excerpt from my book: “ Moving to zsh. bash_profile Added the exports to that, saved and exited vi, closed and reopened term Zsh is built on top of bash thus it has additional features. 15 and later use Zsh by default. ” At the MacAdmins Conference Campfire session I received quite a few questions regarding this, so I thought it would be helpful information. Nov 6, 2023 · In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn: Why Zsh is so powerful and how it can improve your workflows How to painlessly update Zsh using the Homebrew package manager Tips for customizing your upgraded Zsh shell like a pro Advanced setups and configurations for Zsh power users Troubleshooting help for any issues along the way By the end, your Terminal will be transformed into a far more Jun 7, 2023 · That Zsh HERE script works fine in a properly functional Zsh shell and should not bork with a zsh: killed error. That seems very odd, that if Apple wants to migrate from bash as a default to zsh as a default it doesn't happen in the operating system itself. zsh Apr 29, 2024 · Bash and Zsh are popular Unix shell environments that provide command-line interfaces to the operating system. See full list on howtogeek. Zsh can be thought of as an extended Bourne shell with a large number of improvements, including some features of bash, ksh, and tcsh. Nov 26, 2024 · While Zsh is not completely compatible with Bash, it shares some similar functionalities and features with Bash. com 2 days ago · What Is ZSH on Mac? Demystifying the Modern Shell ZSH, or Z shell, is the default shell on modern macOS versions (Catalina and later), offering a more customizable and feature-rich command-line experience than its predecessor, Bash. ' is? Here, we will explain the warning in detail and tell you how to remove 'The default interactive shell is now zsh. May 24, 2021 · This is from the Terminal. Apr 25, 2025 · Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. The latest releases bring optimizations, new capabilities, and bug fixes to power up your terminal. ' on Mac. Now when I am trying to check the shell type, I am getting different responses. Choose one of the following options. It's also highly recommended to install a framework with zsh as it makes dealing with configuration, plugins and themes a lot nicer. May 7, 2024 · Zsh, short for Z Shell, is a powerful shell program that can enhance your command-line experience on macOS. Includes 300+ optional plugins (rails, git, macOS, hub, docker, homebrew, node, php, python, etc), 140+ themes to spice up your morning, and an auto-update tool that makes it easy to keep up with the latest updates from the community. – Z shell – Wikipedia Read more about ZSH at An Introduction to the Z Shell. This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring environment variables, managing shell profiles, and setting up aliases for optimal productivity. If you wish to use bash, you can do this, and you can personally install a newer version using HomeBrew <https://brew. Your login account is older, and has accordingly preserved use of bash. sh>. Sep 19, 2021 · On macOS, there is a sessions directory that combines commands from multiple zsh sessions into a single history file. The Zsh shell is written in C and provides wrappers for accessing memory safely in scripts. Starting with macOS Catalina, your Mac uses zsh as the default login shell and interactive shell. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. zsh_history and . Z shell is The Z shell (Zsh) is a Unix shell that can be used as an interactive login shell and as a command interpreter for shell scripting. For this aim, use MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner to refresh your Mac. This is how you interact with the Terminal. Make it the default shell if that’s what you mainly use the Mac terminal for. zlogin), would have had to be manually created, or an install process for some terminal based command or utility might create one of the . It is an Jun 4, 2019 · Apple is moving away from the bash shell on macOS. Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. At the prompt, type echo $0 Sep 12, 2025 · In this guide, we'll help you learn how to resolve the "zsh: permission denied" error in your Mac's Terminal. . While macOS ships with the reliable bash shell, Zsh offers advanced functionality and customization options that make it worth upgrading to. sh file where we store our aliases, exports, path changes Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. I have tried to change it into ZSH by command chsh -s /bin/zsh. Aug 20, 2019 · Apple has announced that in macOS 10. You want to go out of the ordinary, to add life to the boring terminal and improve your productivity. This tutorial will help you for switching between Zsh and Bash on macOS systems. Dec 4, 2023 · If you want to customize the zsh shell in Terminal, you’ll need to edit the zshrc file. Default shell in my mac was bash. However, ZSH offers more flexibility and customization options. What shell is your Mac using? There’s an easy way to tell — here’s how. Part 1: Moving to zsh Part 2: Configuration Files Part 3: Shell Options Part 4: Aliases and Functions Part 5: Completions Part 6: Customizing… How does the macOS terminal work, why should I use it and what’s the difference between a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a Command Line Interface (CLI)? 2 days ago · This post tells you how to clear Terminal history on Mac forever or temporarily for the current session, applying to both Zsh and Bash shells. By modifying the prompt, you can display key information such as your username, machine name, or current directory in a way that suits your workflow. For example, functions like zmalloc, zfree, and zrealloc handle allocating/freeing memory properly. You can get a lot more detailed information on “ Moving to zsh ” in the book! Calls to the POSIX sh /bin/sh in macOS are handled by /bin/bash in sh compatibility mode. 2 days ago · Wondering what 'The default interactive shell is now zsh. While Bash is the default shell for most Unix-based systems, ZSH offers a number of benefits that make it a popular choice for power users and developers alike. If you're interested in it, install zsh on your device directly. Zsh provides the user with more flexibility by providing various features such as plug-in support, better customization, theme support, spelling correction, etc. It does not provide compatibility with POSIX or other shells in its default operating mode. This guide walks you through understanding the file, locating it, and safely opening, editing, saving, and exiting it. Zsh is an extended Bourne shell with many improvements, including some features of Bash, ksh, and tcsh. What is zsh? Zsh, short for Z Shell, is a powerful shell and command-line interpreter for Unix-based systems. Dec 19, 2024 · Learn what is Zsh Alias and how to add aliases to Zsh on Mac, how to delete or use Zsh Alias on Mac, troubleshoot common issues, etc. zshrc file on Mac New Mac user here. Of course, no matter what version of macOS you’re using, you can . And Bash is great – it gets the job done on basic terminal tasks. But what's the difference, and why are there so many? What Do Shells Do? When you sign in at the command line or launch a terminal window on Linux, the system launches the shell Oct 31, 2023 · Updating to the newest version of Zsh on your Mac is one of the best ways to enhance your command line productivity. Simply type that command into Terminal. If you’re interested in Oh My Zsh, you probably also want to install Homebrew package manager so that you can easily get a world of unix tools on the Mac as well. Jul 5, 2020 · I am trying to set two environment variables on macOS version 10. Dec 12, 2024 · Why ZSH Over Bash Most operating systems like MacOS default to using Bash as the command line shell. zshenv, . You can verify this by asking Mar 3, 2017 · Most Linux distributions include the bash shell by default, but you could also switch to another shell environment. Zsh was created by Paul Falstad in 1990 while he was a student at Princeton University. Mar 13, 2022 · A detailed guide to find out which shell you're using, and how to switch from one shell to another, such as from bash to zsh. zshrc This special file runs every time you open a new terminal window or tab in Zsh. The zsh prompt, also known as the command prompt, is the text displayed on the terminal that lets you know you can enter a command. This can help reduce screen clutter and improve the clarity of your terminal sessions. This article will look at Bash vs May 13, 2024 · I remember the first time I opened my terminal on my Mac and noticed something different. Sep 16, 2024 · Learn how to create and run 'Bash' and 'Zsh' scripts on Linux and macOS to automate tasks, enhance productivity, and streamline workflows with detailed examples. It is just the method used to interact with the Terminal. Oct 30, 2023 · Under the Hood: Zsh Memory Access and Crash Handling Understanding a bit more about Zsh‘s internals can help grasp what leads to segmentation faults. I hope this guide helped demystify the process of transitioning to zsh on Mac. Jul 26, 2022 · Terminals zsh: permission denied: / error can be irritating. Located in your home directory, it is essential for customizing your Terminal experience. ZSH, short for Z shell, is a powerful and feature-rich shell program that is often seen as an improvement over the more commonly used Bash shell. Of the standard shells, zsh most closely resembles ksh but includes many enhancements. Nov 24, 2024 · As a professional software engineer and coding instructor with over 15 years of experience, I‘ve come to master the art of customizing my terminal into a productive power tool. zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. If not, you need to install Homebrew on your Mac beforehand. zshrc, . Or at least I should be on Wednesday. It was initially created by Paul Falstad while he was a student and Princetown University and originally it was created incorporating many useful features from other Nov 19, 2025 · The Z shell (zsh) is a Unix shell []. That said, you can continue to use Bash v3. zsh is highly compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) and mostly compatible with bash, with some differences. This article will explore what Zsh is, its key features, and how it can enhance your command-line experience on Mac. Jun 6, 2025 · The Default Interactive Shell Is Now Zsh Currently, the default interactive shell in macOS is Zsh, but if you prefer Bash, the choice is yours. zprofile, . "zsh" replaces "bash". However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. Aug 29, 2023 · Apple now uses Zsh as the default shell on macOS, but the old Bash shell is still included and easily switchable. Nov 15, 2018 · By Chiamaka Ikeanyi Sometimes, using the default terminal sucks. Feb 9, 2025 · Setting up my new Mac today, I found myself once again configuring my development environment. Mar 13, 2018 · By rajaraodv In this blog I’ll cover installing ITerm2, ZSH shell, “oh my ZSH”, Themes, ITerm2 color schemes, “oh my ZSH” plugins and enable “ligature” support to help create a beautiful and powerful Terminal. Jan 9, 2024 · Shell Configuration Mac PATH. Sep 15, 2020 · The macOS Terminal (zsh) - Getting Started How does the macOS terminal work, why should I use it and what's the difference between a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a Command Line Interface (CLI)? These and more questions will be answered in this video & article! zsh The Z shell (also known as zsh) is a Unix shell that is built on top of bash (the default shell for macOS) with additional features. This is the default for licensing reasons. Zsh offers a more convenient and powerful command line experience for developers, sysadmins, and daily terminal users. bashrc file that contains commands for the bash shell. We‘ll compare Zsh […] 2 days ago · The . Instructions for Windows Instructions for Mac Instructions for Linux Jul 17, 2023 · If zsh is your shell (which it seems to be), then when you launch macOS Terminal, it would start zsh to give you a command prompt, and zsh would create . Basic Features of Bash and Zsh Dec 29, 2018 · Open a new Terminal window or open a new window with the specific profile you set zsh for, you’ll now have zsh as your default This change to zsh as the default shell will persist between quitting and relaunching Terminal, though any currently active shells or terminal windows would need to refresh or manually enter zsh. Jan 8, 2025 · Learn how to install and configure Ghostty terminal on Mac, integrated with powerful tools like Powerlevel10k, zsh plugins, and tmux. With its advanced capabilities, it effectively identifies and resolves underlying issues that may hinder smooth operations. There are several reasons you might want to do this. To change your default shell from Zsh to Bash, simply run the "chsh -s /bin/bash" command in Terminal and reopen it. The ~/ translates to your user’s home directory and the . That is, Mac is depending on YOU to make the change, rather than them. 15 Catalina the default shell will be zsh. If you're just getting started, you'll need to know How to Open Mac Terminal and Install Xcode Command Line Tools. "zsh" replaces "bash", so it is prompting you to upgrade. Starting with the Catalina update, zsh is the default shell on Macs and WSL 2 became available on Windows 10 in 2020 (and a native Linux GUI is apparently coming to Windows soon), so it seemed like a good time Mar 29, 2024 · A comprehensive tutorial on how to install zsh on Mac, including its purpose, functionality, and the importance of open source software. Once configured, ZSH supercharges your terminal with handy features for developers and power users. Nov 14, 2019 · The default interactive shell is now zsh. zsh* files (eg. How to install zsh on Mac? If you plan to install zsh on your Mac, you first should check if you have Homebrew installed on your device. In this article, we will explore what ZSH is, its key features, and the reasons why you Jan 8, 2023 · Get Started with ZSH: A Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Oh My ZSH, Dracula Theme, and Popular Plugins In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of installing ZSH and Oh My ZSH on Mar 2, 2024 · Here is the message: The default shell for newly-created accounts switched from bash to zsh at macOS 10. The new macOS Catalina update will include zsh as the default shell, and older macOS versions can also move to the new shell too Nov 19, 2021 · zsh has a friendly to Apple software license and is mostly compatible with bash, and zsh is not controlled by the Free Software Foundation as founded by Richard Stallman and creator of the GPLv3 license. Zsh shell command languages, explore their differences, and see how to use both successfully. Cheers, Jack For the purpose you indicated, AFAIK bash is best. If you want to just make your regular B Nov 18, 2021 · Wondering where the . You can ignore Feb 21, 2024 · Zsh has become so popular lately that Apple made it the default choice on macOS. Cue the collective sighs and confusion. May 11, 2024 · The zshrc file is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any Mac user. Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. Sep 23, 2023 · How to configure zsh theme from scratch on a mac, set up oh my zsh, install zsh plugins like autosuggestions and syntax-highlighting Feb 15, 2023 · If you’ve just upgraded macOS and seen a message that says, 'The default interactive shell is now zsh', we’ll tell you why and what to do about it. It's recommended to use zsh over bash. zshrc unique config file. Mar 30, 2025 · This Mac replaced an earlier Mac, and I have to suppose that Migration Assistant was responsible for preserving bash as a default. If I do that, will I be missing out on much? Has anyone gone bash, and then realized you prefer zsh? Are any other shells more Mar 6, 2015 · The ~/. zshrc file is located on a Mac? If you’re a Mac command line user who is interested in using and customizing the zsh shell, or using something like Oh My Zsh, you may be curious to know what and where the . 15. But here’s the deal—if you’re doing any real terminal work on macOS, it’s worth knowing why that switch happened and whether you should care. However, any other . Dec 27, 2023 · Where Should $PATH Be Configured in Zsh? Okay, you‘re sold on organizing your $PATH carefully – but where exactly should it happen on a Mac? Zsh relies primarily on two files for configuring environment variables: 1. It provides improvements like enhanced autocompletion, theme support, and plugin capabilities, making it a powerful tool for both casual users and seasoned Mar 5, 2025 · For macOS developers and users, understanding Zsh (Z Shell) is essential, especially since it became the default shell on macOS Catalina in 2019. But where do you find it, and how do you edit it? We’ll show you. zshrc doesn’t exist by default in macOS so you need to create it. Zsh has command line editing, builtin spelling correction,programmable command completion, shell Dec 27, 2023 · Have you ever wondered if there‘s a better, more powerful shell beyond the default Bash experience on your Mac? Look no further than Zsh, the highly customizable Z shell that‘s a favorite of developers and power users. typeset -T allows to tie PATH and path together in a special way that internally ZSH manages array variable path and reflects its contents in PATH as a scalar. zsh has command line editing, builtin spelling correction, programmable command completion, shell functions (with autoloading), a history mechanism, and a host of other features. Dec 15, 2023 · By default, your Mac uses either zsh or bash as the command-line interpreter for the login shell and interactive shell: zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. Oct 4, 2025 · Zsh, short for Z Shell, is a Unix shell that can be used as an interactive login shell and as a command interpreter for shell scripting. ~/. In this comprehensive 2800+ word […] Apr 17, 2020 · Zsh is a UNIX command interpreter (shell) usable as an interactive login shell and as a shell script command processor. With Homebrew installed, simply type in the command Mar 12, 2022 · What is Zsh Shell? What is the default shell for your Mac running macOS? Lets see in this tutorial. 5, I've opened a terminal and tried: vi ~/. I've never really used zsh and was planning on making bash my default shell. We've also included an env. What is the . zshrc is the ZSH configuration file itself. zshrc file is a hidden configuration file used by the Zsh shell on macOS to store user preferences, environment variables, and shell customizations. With your development environment set up, you'll be prepared for any tutorial you'll find on freeCodeCamp. It combines features from both ksh and tcsh, offering functionality such Aug 19, 2023 · What is Zsh? Zsh, also called Z shell, is a UNIX shell that is built on top of the Bourne shell (macOS default shell), more commonly know as bash. Zsh is a particularly popular alternative, and there are other shells, like ash, dash, fish, and tcsh. bash is the default shell in macOS Mojave and earlier. - ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh Nov 15, 2021 · Furthermore, zsh uses it’s own . qfttv hivwig xeago inn kvwspyf aeck kkvc fnbc ewiub fphoskz pimak dhdqfli afn sxyx bhh