User Guide: Using Your Zsh Shell Superpowers ✨

Your Mac's terminal isn't just a black box anymore! It's running Zsh (Z Shell), turbocharged with Oh My Zsh (a configuration manager), the Powerlevel10k theme (for that cool prompt!), and some handy plugins. Think of it as upgrading your car's engine and dashboard.

Your Smart Prompt (Powerlevel10k) 📟

That colorful line where you type commands? It's packed with useful information:

  • 📍 Current Directory: Shows where you are in your file system (e.g., ~/Projects/my-app).
  • 🌱 Git Status: If you're in a Git project folder, it shows:
    • The current branch name (e.g., main, feature-branch).
    • Symbols indicating changes:
      • ? - Untracked files (new files not added to Git yet).
      • ! - Modified files (files you’ve changed but not staged).
      • + - Staged files (files ready to commit).
      • Arrows - Whether your branch is ahead or behind the remote branch.
  • 🐍 Python Environment: Displays the name of the active Python/Conda environment (e.g., (my_env)).
  • ✅ / ❌ Command Status: Shows whether your last command succeeded (✅) or failed (❌).

Customize Your Prompt

Want to change how your prompt looks? Run this command in your terminal:

p10k configure

Follow the wizard to customize your prompt. Your choices are saved in ~/.p10k.zsh (linked from dot/.p10k.zsh).

Zsh Plugins: Your Terminal Assistants 🤖

Plugins add extra features to your terminal. Your dot/.zshrc file enables these plugins by default:

1. git Plugin

This plugin makes working with Git faster by providing shortcuts (aliases) for common commands. Here are some examples:

  • gst → git status (Check the status of your repository.)
  • ga → git add (Stage changes for commit.)
  • gcmsg → git commit -m (Commit changes with a message.)
  • gp → git push (Push your changes to the remote repository.)
  • gl → git pull (Pull the latest changes from the remote repository.)
  • gco → git checkout (Switch branches.)

For example:

$ gst
# Shows the status of your Git repository.

$ ga file.txt
# Stages 'file.txt' for commit.

$ gcmsg "Added new feature"
# Commits the staged changes with the message "Added new feature."

2. zsh-autosuggestions

This plugin predicts the command you're typing based on your history and shows it as a faint suggestion.

Example:

$ git c                                # You type this
$ git commit -m "Initial commit"       # Faint suggestion appears

Actions:

  • To Accept the Suggestion: Press the Right Arrow key (→) or End key.
  • To Ignore the Suggestion: Keep typing your intended command. The suggestion will disappear or change.

3. zsh-syntax-highlighting

This plugin highlights your commands as you type, helping you catch errors before running them.

Examples:

  1. Valid Command:

    $ git status
# 'git' is green (valid command), 'status' might be green/white.

  2. Invalid Command:

    $ gti
# 'gti' appears red (command not found).

  3. Command with Arguments:

    $ echo "Hello World"
# 'echo' is green (valid command), "Hello World" is yellow (string).

This visual feedback helps you avoid typos and mistakes.

4. autojump (j)

This plugin lets you jump to frequently visited directories with a single command.

How It Works:

autojump remembers directories you’ve visited before. Instead of typing a long cd command, you can use a keyword to jump to the directory.

Example:

If you often go to this directory:

cd ~/Projects/Clients/SuperCorp/WebsiteProject/src/css

You can simply type:

j css

or:

j Website

autojump will take you to the most likely match based on your history.

Check Learned Directories:

To see which directories autojump remembers, run:

j --stat

Example output:

10.0: /Users/you/Projects/dotFile
25.5: /Users/you/Downloads
31.2: /Users/you/Projects/WebsiteProject/src/css
-------------------------------------------------
Total weight: 66.7. Total entries: 3.

(Higher weight means you visit it more often.)

Ensuring Plugins Are Enabled

To make sure these plugins are active, check the plugins=(...) line in your dot/.zshrc file. It should include:

plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting autojump)

Additional Tips for Beginners

Reload Your Zsh Configuration

If you make changes to your dot/.zshrc file, reload it without restarting your terminal:

source ~/.zshrc

Learn More About Plugins

Each plugin has its own set of features. Check their documentation for more advanced usage:

These features make your terminal faster, smarter, and easier to use. Enjoy your Zsh superpowers! 🚀