What is zsh in terminal mac. However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer.

What is zsh in terminal mac One of the options that caught my attention was Zsh. Get Visual Studio Code up and running on Mac (macOS). finally worked on Apple Sillicon M2 Mac Air after hours of trying. 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)? Execute commands and run tools in Terminal on Mac You can use the command-line environment interactively by typing a command and waiting for a result, or you can use the shell to compose scripts that run without direct interaction. Now when I am trying to check the shell type, I am getting different responses. Go to the Terminal app on your Mac. bash_history file which is still there. The prompt you see depends on your Terminal and shell settings, but it often includes the name of the host you’re logged in to, your current working folder, your user name, and Nov 27, 2025 · Wondering what 'The default interactive shell is now zsh. Here is the duide how to fix it, Nov 19, 2025 · The Z shell (zsh) is a Unix shell []. zsh May 6, 2015 · I just want to pull out Benjamin Pasero's answer from inside his comment as it seems the best solution. Zsh, short for Z Shell, is a powerful shell program that can enhance your command-line experience on macOS. To learn more about commands, you can use the Terminal app to read the documentation for low-level UNIX tools and Jan 8, 2025 · Learn how to install and configure Ghostty terminal on Mac, integrated with powerful tools like Powerlevel10k, zsh plugins, and tmux. ' is? Here, we will explain the warning in detail and tell you how to remove 'The default interactive shell is now zsh. Is it possible to set the default directory (the directory when terminal is opened) to the directory where I use git, and if 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 can be thought of as an extended Bourne shell with a large number of improvements, including some features of bash, ksh, and tcsh. Next to “Shells open with,” select “Command (complete path),” then enter the complete path to the shell you want to use. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the simple command to start using Zsh on macOS. Nov 14, 2023 · What are Bash & zsh Terminals? Shell terminals, such as Bash and zsh, are text-based user interfaces for interacting with an operating system. Dec 23, 2024 · Customizing the zsh prompt in the macOS terminal can greatly enhance your productivity and overall user experience. bash_profile file (~/. If you manually set the default shell in Terminal prior to upgrading to Catalina or later, you will see the message the first time you open Terminal telling you, “The default interactive shell is now zsh. Sep 24, 2023 · ZSH, an extended version of the Bourne Shell, offers new features, such as automatic cd, spelling correction, themes, and plugins. Create a modern, GPU-accelerated terminal environment for enhanced development workflow. Nov 27, 2025 · 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. How-to: Terminal/profile startup files in macOS There are two default shells commonly used with macOS: zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. COMMAND-1 input 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. ” Jun 8, 2019 · You'll find some commands that bash handles better and some that zsh handles better. zshrc is the ZSH configuration file itself. I've never really used zsh and was planning on making bash my default shell. Sep 23, 2023 · This article walks through every step to start coding in zsh from scratch using a Macbook. zshrc doesn’t exist by default in macOS so you need to create it. Apr 17, 2020 · Zsh is a UNIX command interpreter (shell) usable as an interactive login shell and as a shell script command processor. May 15, 2023 · Check out how to make your terminal look better and be more productive. 11 (El Capitan), we get even more information on terminal history through the bash sessions files. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. I only use terminal (mac) for git, and I only use git for one directory. To change shell to zsh from bash:. 1. 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: Are you looking to enhance your terminal and command-line workflow on Mac? Then setting Zsh as the default shell is an impactful upgrade. Feb 9, 2025 · Setting up my new Mac today, I found myself once again configuring my development environment. 4. Nov 18, 2021 · Changes will take effect when you reload zsh profile or launch a new terminal window. This is the guide for the ultimate setup of macOS terminal / console / shell using zsh and other tools you can benefit from. While they share many similarities, they also have some significant differences. Instructions for Windows Instructions for Mac Instructions for Linux Feb 21, 2024 · Zsh has become so popular lately that Apple made it the default choice on macOS. Zsh is the default shell program on MacOS. 2. Had to install oh-my-zsh to get the . 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. 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. To maximize your productivity as a developer, customizing your terminal with Zsh and useful plugins is a must. Alternatively, you can change the default shell graphically in System Settings under Users & Groups by Ctrl-Clicking your profile picture and selecting "Advanced Feb 5, 2023 · Install Homebrew Open up a terminal window and install homebrew with the following 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. In this comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide, we‘ll walk through how to install Z shell (ZSH), customize it with Oh My ZSH, add useful plugins and beautiful themes, and enable […] Feb 15, 2023 · In macOS Catalina, the default changed to the Z shell, also known as zsh. In this article, I will give you an in-depth look at what Zsh is and how it can improve your Mac experience. Or at least I should be on Wednesday. In the past, the bash-shell was the standard, nowadays being replaced by the z-shell (zsh) which we'll also use in this tutorial. zshrc (and other files) You can easily check which shell is being used by issuing the ps command or merely by the title of the Terminal window: Jan 11, 2024 · By default, the zsh prompt in Terminal looks bland, but macOS lets you customize it to your liking. They allow you to input commands through a command line, offering direct communication with the system for tasks like file manipulation, program execution, and system control. 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. Think of it as the engine that powers your terminal, allowing you to interact with your Mac’s operating system using text-based commands. Look at your Terminal > Settings panel for your default shell profile. With both Bash and Zsh providing compelling advantages, selecting the right shell for scripting can significantly shape your productivity, and simplify your daily tasks. With its advanced capabilities, it effectively identifies and resolves underlying issues that may hinder smooth operations. Thank You. 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 Oct 19, 2023 · Zsh permission denied on Mac is a common error when trying to open a file via Terminal. 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. ' on Mac. 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. Jun 3, 2023 · I have this problem since weeks: my ZSH terminal on start up shows an error and even with most commands (especially if they are sudo). However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. May 7, 2024 · Zsh, short for Z Shell, is a powerful shell program that can enhance your command-line experience on macOS. Is the article helpful? In that case, you might also find our monthly insights newsletter helpful! We curate & share industry news, trends and anything else you Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. It is the tip given on the Setting up Visual Studio Code page where it says If you want to run VS Code from the terminal, append the following to your ~/. By customizing the prompt, you can personalize it to suit your preferences and make it more informative and visually appealing. Press the Control + Command + L keys on your Mac keyboard. There are several problems with bash_history - you cannot tell when any command in that file was run, the sequence of commands may not be Jun 7, 2023 · That Zsh HERE script works fine in a properly functional Zsh shell and should not bork with a zsh: killed error. All results are "killed", sometimes with "Killed: 9". It is essentially the same thing as bash but just has many additional features. Mar 12, 2022 · What is Zsh Shell? What is the default shell for your Mac running macOS? Lets see in this tutorial. Sep 8, 2021 · For macOS Catalina and later: zsh (. Like Tagged with macos, terminal, zsh, productivity. zsh is highly compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) and mostly compatible with bash, with some differences. Apr 25, 2025 · Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. Aug 24, 2024 · The default macOS terminal is basic and limited. Cue the collective sighs and confusion. 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. zsh_profile) Now that you know the file where you need to add the path for your program/script, open the terminal and enter a command based on your shell: May 3, 2018 · While all versions of macOS have provided bash_history for users, since macOS 10. But where do you find it, and how do you edit it? We’ll show you. Choose Terminal > Settings, then click General. To specify possible completions for a command, zsh has three mechanisms: The “old” completion mechanism with compctl which you can forget about. To change your default shell from Zsh to Bash, simply run the "chsh -s /bin/bash" command in Terminal and reopen it. Sep 12, 2025 · In this guide, we'll help you learn how to resolve the "zsh: permission denied" error in your Mac's Terminal. Type in Clear in the Terminal screen and hit Return. The default shell is zsh. zshrc in case you use zsh). Press the Command + K keys together on your Mac keyboard. sudo apt install zsh //type "y" to accept and then check that it was installed correctly zsh --version //make zsh your default shell chsh -s $(which zsh) Launch Zsh and go through through the first-time setup process. Install Zsh – Ubuntu on WSL 2 Open a terminal window and install zsh and make it your default shell. Each window in Terminal represents an instance of a shell process. May 26, 2022 · beautifying terminal in macOS with zsh shell and ohmyzsh and powerline fonts 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. I have tried to change it into ZSH by command chsh -s /bin/zsh. The window contains a prompt that indicates you can enter a command. May 7, 2024 · When I first started using my Mac, I was intrigued by the variety of options available to customize my terminal experience. zshrc or . Z shell's configuration utility for new users Zsh with Agnoster theme running on Konsole terminal emulator Features include: [14] Programmable command-line completion that can help the user type both options and arguments for most used commands, with out-of-the-box support for several hundred commands Sharing of command history among all running shells Extended file globbing allows file New Mac user here. zshrc file in home, afterwards did what you have suggested. You can change the shell that new Terminal windows and tabs open with. It does not provide compatibility with POSIX or other shells in its default operating mode. 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 27, 2025 · A You can clear all commands in Terminal on Mac at once in several ways. Mar 30, 2025 · whereas zsh (which is now the default shell on Mac Terminal) uses . sh>. – Z shell – Wikipedia Read more about ZSH at An Introduction to the Z Shell. 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 30, 2021 · 8 In Mac OS Catalina default interactive shell is zsh. This is the default for licensing reasons. Jan 3, 2019 · In case the install script does not set zsh as your default shell, you can do so manually by running the following and starting a new Terminal session: $ chsh -s $(which zsh) Dec 12, 2024 · As a programmer who spends a lot of time in the terminal, having a powerful and visually pleasing command line interface can greatly improve productivity and enjoyment. Where is the universal system-wide zshrc file? While the user customizable . zshrc file resides in the users home directory, there is also a system level zshrc file. bash is the default shell in macOS 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. Open Edit in the menu bar and choose Clear to Start or Clear Screen. This article will look at Bash vs 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. Nov 27, 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. If you wish to use bash, you can do this, and you can personally install a newer version using HomeBrew <https://brew. The system zshrc file is located at the following path in macOS: /etc/zshrc Any modification made to /etc/zshrc will apply to the zsh shell for Open or quit Terminal on Mac Terminal provides a command-line interface to macOS. The ~/ translates to your user’s home directory and the . 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. It also includes instructions to install new zsh theme and useful plugins. Jun 4, 2019 · Apple is moving away from the bash shell on macOS. " To install ZSH on Fedora, "run sudo dnf install zsh" then switch the shell by entering "zsh" in the Sep 15, 2020 · On macOS, the terminal is our "hardware" for the shell, so the tool where our shell software can run. Zsh is usually more precise, but sometimes gives up where bash does something that isn't correct but is sensible. In this comprehensive 2800+ word […] Mar 6, 2015 · The ~/. 3. If you want to just make your regular B Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. . Of the standard shells, zsh most closely resembles ksh but includes many enhancements. Jan 9, 2024 · Zsh, also known as Z shell, is a program that runs in the Terminal, interprets Unix commands, and interacts with the operating system. 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. Apr 29, 2024 · Bash and Zsh are popular Unix shell environments that provide command-line interfaces to the operating system. While macOS ships with the reliable bash shell, Zsh offers advanced functionality and customization options that make it worth upgrading to. This is not a replacement for the old . Installing ZSH on Ubuntu or other Debian-based distros is as simple as running "sudo apt install zsh" and changing the default shell using "chsh -s $ (which zsh). Jul 2, 2023 · Boosting everyday productivity by customising default macos terminal, install homebrew, zsh, oh my zsh, plugins & powerlevel10k theme. Aug 29, 2023 · Apple now uses Zsh as the default shell on macOS, but the old Bash shell is still included and easily switchable. Choose one of the following options.