Zsh vs bash mac. zshrc which the Terminal reads when it is launched.

Zsh vs bash mac Bash shell is a creation of Brian Fox, and it came out in 1989. By the end, you’ll see why Fish provides […] Apr 26, 2025 · Zsh is largely compatible with Bash as it was designed to incorporate many of the features and commands that Bash users are familiar with. Terminal will need a restart to take effect. However PowerShell is about working with objects while shells like Bash are about working with streams of Let me go over in this video the difference between Bash, ZSH, and Fish, and finally settle the debate on which one is the BEST. To enable interactive comments, run setopt interactive_comments. This difference matters when you‘re writing scripts that need to run on multiple systems: # This works in both Bash and Zsh Aug 20, 2019 · Apple has announced that in macOS 10. 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. You want to go out of the ordinary, to add life to the boring terminal and improve your productivity. Powerlevel10k: a theme for Zsh with interface helpers, such as git current branch and execution time. Zsh offers some advanced functionality May 12, 2025 · The command-line shell is an essential tool for interacting with the operating system, allowing users to execute commands, automate tasks, and run scripts efficiently. Just recently a colleague told me he's using starship. 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. Despite this shift, Bash remains widely used and relevant due to its familiarity and extensive Sep 25, 2021 · The whole thing can also be done in the . The following Zsh HERE document can be copied/pasted into the Terminal and followed by a return to write a new ~/. zprofile is closer in meaning to . Users familiar with Bash Scriptures and interactive command lines in Terminal, they quickly observed this change. To make the search work in zsh, the search query has to be surrounded by quotes like locate "*/vi". Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. bash is the reincarnation of shell, and zsh is a child of bash. Sep 18, 2023 · Explore key differences & head to head comparison (infographics) between Zsh & Bash. This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring environment variables, managing shell profiles, and setting up aliases for optimal productivity. 3 which is current. To be clear: to set up Homebrew, you do not need to install bash manually or anything. Powerful Command Line Editing Text editing on the command line with shortcuts like ctrl+a/e to jump between beginning/end of line is more advanced in Zsh. Like a true replacement should, Bash is capable of executing all of the Bourne shell commands without a problem. 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. . But you also need to consider that the behavior of sh scripts will change when Apple replaces the sh interpreter. Oct 6, 2024 · In this video, we dive into the world of command-line shells, focusing on two of the most popular options: Zsh and Bash. Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. zshrc which the Terminal reads when it is launched. Zsh also comes with most of the features you’d expect from a modern Supported shells: Linux/macOS: bash, fish, pwsh, zsh Windows: Git Bash, pwsh Installation Automatic script injection By default, the shell integration script should automatically activate on supported shells launched from VS Code. It’s a plugin system to integrate multiple Zsh scripts. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the key differences between ZSH and Fish shell. Z shell is basically an extended version of Bash… Jun 4, 2019 · There’s also a solid (but not perfect) level of compatibility between Bash and Zsh, which should make the transition easy. And install bash on your system alongside zsh, then although your interactive shell uses zsh, your script will run on bash, and you will catch your bug before it leaves your computer. However, beginning with macOS Catalina, Apple transitioned the default shell to Zsh. Bash and Zsh are both popular Unix shell programs that offer similar functionalities, such as command line editing, scripting capabilities, and job control. It still has bash installed (a fairly old version due to licensing) and existing accounts keep their perfered shell as bash but ya it is installed by default and new users have zsh as their perfered shell. That said, ultimately, the choice between bash and zsh will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Let’s dive in! What Is a Shell? A shell is more Jun 6, 2023 · Zsh does not read Bash dot files, and you will need just one really, which is . It‘s been around for decades and is stable and widely portable. This is done by injecting arguments and/or environment variables when the shell session launches. In addition, there’s a bunch of things Zsh can do to make your terminal experience better. This tutorial will help you for switching between Zsh and Bash on macOS systems. COMMAND-1 input Dec 16, 2024 · Hopefully by outlining the background, pros and cons, feature comparisons, and key differentiators between Bash vs Zsh vs Fish – this guide has helped identify the best shell fit for your particular requirements as a beginner or advancing developer. Zsh will show relevant options like --all, while bash just completes filenames. Basic Features of Bash and Zsh Jul 8, 2024 · For many years it has shipped as the default shell for GNU, most Linux distributions, and Mac OS X (version 10. Oct 23, 2023 · Bash and Zsh share a similar command line syntax. Since it's based on the same shell as Bash, ZSH has many of the same features, and switching over is a breeze. Whether you're a beginner looking to Zsh (Z shell) - An interactive login shell, command interpreter and scripting language. Because of its added capabilities over bash, apple ships macOS Catalina and higher with zsh as the default shell in its terminals. 🙃 A delightful community-driven (with 2,400+ contributors) framework for managing your zsh configuration. Also, it's common to provide a . Technical Comparison: Zsh vs. zshrc config, plus zsh offers a bash-compatibility mode that can read . zshrc. There are quite a few features that the Bash shell has and some of the lesser-known ones include: Mar 19, 2025 · Compare the Bash vs. Jan 29, 2020 · Zsh vs Bash: Origins The first Unix operating system came into existence in 1971, but the Bourne shell (the first version of Bash) came into existence only in 1979, with the Unix version 7. zsh is highly compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) and mostly compatible with bash, with some differences. We‘ll compare Zsh […] / en / versus / bash-vs-zsh BASH vs ZSH Both are powerful command-line shells used primarily on Unix-like operating systems (Linux, macOS). Cue the collective sighs and confusion. Dec 27, 2023 · In this comprehensive 2500+ word guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Zsh vs Bash scripting. Jul 19, 2022 · I recently became aware of readarray in Bash v5. A key reason many programmers switch is all the different Oct 21, 2019 · /bin/sh usually means that your script is POSIX-compliant and can be run without modification using any POSIX-compliant shell (dash, ash, bash, zsh in compatibility mode, etc). For example to find all instances of files named "vi" one can use bash with command locate */vi. Plus, you'll learn if being POSIX-compliant actually matters Nov 26, 2024 · Discover how switching from Zsh to Fish shell can enhance your productivity with faster performance, rich built-in functionality, and an user-friendly configuration experience. Find out how this impacts Terminal and your existing shell scripts. In this article, Zsh vs Bash we will try to draw a line between the two shells and show the differences so that you can understand why you should use one 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 Jun 25, 2019 · Bash vs Z shell: A Tale of Two Command Line Shells Recently, Apple announced that as of the next version of macOS, Catalina, they will be adopting zsh as their default shell in replacement of bash … Nov 23, 2021 · Zsh is not a clone of Bash and of course there will be Bash-unique syntax that does not work in Zsh, as would be true of most other non-Bash based shells. zshenv is executed for all instances of zsh, whether or not they are login shells. Sep 24, 2023 · ZSH, also called the Z shell, is an extended version of the Bourne Shell (sh), with new features and support for plugins and themes. Mar 12, 2024 · Here in this article, we are going to differentiate between the two most popular shells bash and zsh. Apple includes a bash install with macOS, it's just an older version (tl;dr Apple doesn't want to deal with GPLv3 licensing and therefore switched to zsh by default rather than bundle newer versions of bash). Jan 3, 2019 · 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. Bash on Mac What is Bash on Mac? On macOS, Bash has traditionally been the default shell environment, allowing users to harness the capabilities of Unix commands. Once configured, ZSH supercharges your terminal with handy features for developers and power users. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the simple command to start using Zsh on macOS. Oh my zsh covers several aspects. Bash is known for its simplicity, POSIX compliance, and widespread availability across Linux distributions Are there any benefits to using PowerShell over Bash or Zsh in a Unixy OS? I've been looking at different shells and briefly tried the tutorial for PowerShell. If you open up a terminal on Mac (until macOS Mojave), or if you’ve used Linux before, you Nov 15, 2018 · By Chiamaka Ikeanyi Sometimes, using the default terminal sucks. Jun 21, 2025 · Setting up your macOS shell environment properly is crucial for an efficient development workflow. But Zsh has been gaining popularity over the last several years as an alternative shell. bash* configs directly. NET. I want to share which one I chose and how I went about setting it up. 3+). bash_profile config for various command line tools; less common but not unheard of to get a . Aug 3, 2020 · Zsh vs Bash When we talk about UNIX-based programming we usually mean consoles, terminals and command line interfaces. Oh-My-Zsh: an open source, community-driven framework for managing your Zsh configuration. Zsh is a particularly popular alternative, and there are other shells, like ash, dash, fish, and tcsh. Jun 24, 2020 · Conclusion In Catalina Apple started warning us about the eventual demise of bash from macOS. I have tried to change it into ZSH by command chsh -s /bin/zsh. May 31, 2015 · Just saying. zsh is the default shell in more recent macOS versions while bash is the default for older ones. May 21, 2025 · Bash strictly adheres to POSIX standards, which ensures broad compatibility across Unix-like systems. To change your default shell from Zsh to Bash, simply run the "chsh -s /bin/bash" command in Terminal and reopen it. Converting your existing bash scripts and workflows to zsh, sh, or bash v5 is an important first step. Dec 12, 2024 · Why ZSH Over Bash Most operating systems like MacOS default to using Bash as the command line shell. For example, try autocompleting git add - in bash vs zsh. May 18, 2021 · Zsh: an extended Bourne Shell (sh) with many improvements, powerful command line editing options, and support for plugins and themes. The Zsh user guide however is dated 2003. bash_profile file (~/. bash_profile or . 2 - last updated in 2014) and not providing more recent versions of bash seems to be related to a change in the license with version 4. Mar 11, 2022 · Now that zsh is the default shell on Mac OS terminal, you might want to setup you new Mac or VS Code terminal to have a smart integration with git, something similar to git bash for Windows. 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. Created by the GNU Project. Jan 10, 2025 · When it comes to command-line interfaces, the debate between Zsh vs Bash often takes center stage. Zsh seems up to date with the latest version available. This article explodes some advantages of Fish, such as pre-installed plugins, faster and simpler setup, along with a step-by-step guide to make your migration seamless and efficient. The tutorial covers steps for the CLI and GUI methods. I've always been using oh-my-zsh (omz) on mac/linux and oh-my-bash on windows. Nov 26, 2024 · While Zsh is not completely compatible with Bash, it shares some similar functionalities and features with Bash. At first I thought it's just another terminal, but turns out it's a customisation prompt like omz. I have used Bash since Apple began to offer it, and I still believe Zsh is far more powerful. The default Bash shell is a powerful option. While they share many similarities, they also have some significant differences. The three main ones out there are Bash, Zsh, and Fish. Bash While bash is the most widely available shell across Unix-like systems, zsh offers more modern features for interactive use. 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. Most of my well written Bash scripts just work in the Zsh shell, with minor exceptions. Aug 2, 2023 · Switch from Zsh to Bash on Mac using one of the two methods described in this article. bash_profile has been replaced with ~/. With both Bash and Zsh providing compelling advantages, selecting the right shell for scripting can significantly shape your productivity, and simplify your daily tasks. 2 days ago · If your user account was created before macOS Catalina, which still has bash as the default shell, or you invoke the bash shell while your Mac is set to use zsh, you will see the message that reads "The default interactive shell is now zsh. Mar 3, 2017 · Most Linux distributions include the bash shell by default, but you could also switch to another shell environment. But what is Zsh, and what is Bash? Both are powerful Unix shells with unique capabilities, making them popular among developers. This guide compares Zsh vs Bash, helping to make an informed choice. Mar 23, 2023 · Shell Comparison: Analyzing the Pros and Cons of Bash, Zsh, Fish, and Tcsh Helping you decide which shell to use！ Before we begin comparing various shells, if you’re not sure what a shell is Zsh is great, and is even better with oh-my-zsh, but if you have to deal with Linux that may or not have zsh (including legacy ones), and colleagues that may or not know/use zsh, probably sticking with bash is a good choice. I personally use oh-my-zsh so I set my environment variables via . Is there an equivalent for zsh? Nov 18, 2025 · Introduction to Bash and Zsh Bash (Bourne Again Shell) and Zsh (Z Shell) are two powerful Unix command-line interpreters used by advanced users to manage systems and automate tasks. Bash is the default login shell for most Linux distributions. The most common command shell is Bash, but there are other options available and widely used, such as the Z Shell or zsh. Now when I am trying to check the shell type, I am getting different responses. Reinitialize After making changes in the respective file, you have to reinitialize this file. zshrc and such). 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. Both shells allow users to run commands, write scripts, and interact with the operating system efficiently. This article will look at Bash vs 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. im familiar that they operate pretty similarly, but just wondering if anybody has experience out there with zsh on their linux build. Jun 8, 2019 · Many of bash's shopt settings have a corresponding setopt in zsh. ” Sep 23, 2023 · bash is the default shell on a mac If you are confused over bash, zsh and shell, just remember they are one family. Execute zsh temporarily or as default zsh is better than bash/sh in several aspects Bash scripts break in Zsh (due to “bashisms”) Bashisms in bash scripts break in zsh, so existing bash scripts need to be migrated and tested Apple’s disruption opens up a discussion about compatibility of script commands across platforms and POSIX. Like zsh, bash includes several advanced features and capabilities, such as command line editing just curious to see if anyone here uses zsh as their default shell? If so, how has your experience been with it? Do you prefer bash or zsh? ive been using zsh on my Macbook due to apple making it the default terminal shell. Feb 8, 2024 · Blog Post Publish Date: 2024/02/08 This blog post covers my prompt customization experience, favorite ZSH Plugins, ZSH options, and Starship configuration. While Bash emphasizes reliability and simplicity, Zsh adds modern enhancements like auto-suggestions and plugin support, offering a more versatile experience. Jan 15, 2024 · 文章浏览阅读2. Oct 28, 2023 · Why Compare Bash and Zsh? Before we dive in, let‘s briefly go over why you‘d even want to compare Bash and Zsh. bashrc in more detail. 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 Explore the nuances of zsh vs bash in this comprehensive guide. 1k次，点赞26次，收藏26次。本文介绍了如何在Mac终端中配置新应用环境，重点讲解了shell的基本原理，包括bash和zsh的区别，以及如何在MacOS中切换默认shell。 Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. And Bash is great – it gets the job done on basic terminal tasks. Aug 23, 2018 · Are there any advantages to using zsh vs bash shell in Terminal app? Also, can you use zsh from the terminal? My understanding of zsh is skewed. It combines features from both ksh and tcsh, offering functionality such Apr 7, 2021 · Zsh Zsh is for people wanting an interesting mix of a good compatibility with Bash and an ecosystem of plugins with a reasonable installation process. As you probably know, Bash is the default shell included on most Linux distributions. It was designed as a free and open-source alternative to the proprietary Bourne shell, and it has since become the default shell on many Unix-like systems, including Linux and macOS. Theming and Customization “Zsh is a Unix shell that is built on top of bash (the default shell for macOS) with additional features…it makes dealing with configuration, plugins and themes a lot nicer. Zsh is an extended Bourne shell with many improvements, including some features of Bash, ksh, and tcsh. Uncover features, strengths, and tips to master your command line experience. Nov 30, 2022 · Conclusion: ZSH and Bash – Which one is better? By the look of it zsh definitely better than bash. A coworker of mine uses fish instead and he's frequently grumbling over lack of fish support for this or that tool. bash_profile and . Z shell (Zsh) is a Unix shell built on top of bash (the default shell for macOS) wi Bash is still there and I’ve not found any link to an official deprecation. Learn "shell", prefer bash Make sure you install a modern version of bash Make sure when you put a #! xxx shebang at the start of a script it references the shell you are actually targeting (so sh for posix, bash for bash, zsh for zsh) Don't configure your system to use bash as a default shell, learn to live with and understand differences. However, ZSH offers more flexibility and customization options. Nov 8, 2020 · 使用Mac系统的朋友应该比较熟悉Zsh和Bash这两个shell，但是对二者具体有什么区别可能不太了解。 本文将从这两个shell入手，对相关概念以及二者区别进行解释。 zsh and bash are different shells that can be used on macOS and other Unix style OSes (Linux, BSD, macOS …). But two popular alternatives, ZSH and Fish, offer more advanced features and customization. However, Zsh is considered to be more powerful and feature-rich than Bash, with advanced features like advanced tab completion, spelling correction, and theme customization. Zsh doesn't treat # as a comment start on the command line by default, only in scripts (including . 3 days ago · The more appropriate comparison would be between zsh and bash (both shells), or between Oh My Zsh and other frameworks for bash like bash-it. 0 (GPLv2 vs GPLv3). zprofile and since installing iTerm2 shell integration, it added a ~/. This is great because it means most commands and scripts you write will work in either shell, without modification. 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. Since macOS Catalina, Apple has made Zsh the default shell, replacing Bash. bash_profile, in that both are only sourced by their respective shells for login shells. Alternatively, you can change the default shell graphically in System Settings under Users & Groups by Ctrl-Clicking your profile picture and selecting "Advanced May 15, 2020 · A One Minute Introduction to Bash, Zsh, and fish Bash Bash is the most common Linux shell out there. zsh_profile file. While there are various shell options available, Bash, Zsh, and Fish stand out as the most popular choices, each offering a unique set of features, making it crucial to understand their differences in order to select the right Mar 17, 2019 · Tip: If you want to run Visual Studio Code from the terminal, append the following to your ~/. zshrc file. Default shell in my mac was bash. They interpret your commands and interact with the operating system. If you wish to use bash, you can do this, and you can personally install a newer version using HomeBrew <https://brew. Zsh was created by Paul Falstad in 1990 while he was a student at Princeton University. 15 Catalina the default shell will be zsh. Bash vs Zsh Bash is the default shell on Linux and Mac OS X. zshrc file: One difference is that wildcard characters behave different. Apr 11, 2025 · Learn the key differences between Zsh and Bash—two powerful Unix shells. Discover which is better for scripting, performance, customization, and productivity in your terminal workflow. zsh is similar to bash but has some additional features. Helps system administrators and power-users rapidly automate tasks that manage operating systems (Linux, macOS, and Windows) and processes. I was quickly turned off by the long Verb-Name syntax since its really verbose. zsh, editing tools, and using templates. Zsh shell command languages, explore their differences, and see how to use both successfully. PowerShell - A command-line shell and scripting language built on . In this series, I will document my experiences moving bash settings, configurations, and scripts over to zsh. To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`. In this blog, we’ll explore the key features of Zsh and Bash, helping you decide which one suits your workflow best. zshrc in case you use Z shell (executable zsh)). . Zsh is an interactive shell which incorporates a lot of useful features from other shells. Tips for macOS shell scripting including bash vs. This means that most of your Bash scripts and command history should work in Zsh. May 6, 2020 · When I set up my Windows computer, I had the chance to take another look at the shell I'm using. Nov 30, 2021 · 272 you can try chsh -s /bin/bash to set the bash as the default, or chsh -s /bin/zsh to set the zsh as the default. 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. You‘ll learn about their origins, syntax variations, scripting and interactive capabilities, use cases, communities, and more through insightful examples and analysis. Zsh, while mostly compatible with Bash, prioritizes features and user experience over strict POSIX compliance. - Installing ZSH · ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh Wiki Aug 29, 2023 · Apple now uses Zsh as the default shell on macOS, but the old Bash shell is still included and easily switchable. Using zsh the result for the same command is zsh: no matches found: */vi. sh>. The new macOS Catalina update will include zsh as the default shell, and older macOS versions can also move to the new shell too Dec 27, 2023 · For experienced Linux users, choosing the right shell is an important decision. Understanding how shells work sets the foundation for comparing Zsh vs Bash effectively. Zsh is often combined with Oh My Zsh a plugin system and collection of plugins that enhance the shell. Dec 15, 2020 · The GPL License for the current bash is incompatible with many application-distribution-systems, like the Mac App Store, and certain other software distribution platforms Apr 17, 2020 · Now that I've upgraded to Catalina and I am using the new ZSH shell, I've noticed that ~/. zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. Much of the Bash script logic just works with Zsh, but now, when you open the Terminal, your Bash associated dot files do not get run, so your PATH and other shell customizations need to be set up for Zsh in the ~/. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. Jun 4, 2019 · Apple is moving away from the bash shell on macOS. However, the version of bash available on macOS is pretty old (3. Oct 20, 2019 · With the launch of Macos Catalina, besides many news and features, Apple also introduced ZSH (Z Shell) in place Bash (Bourne-Again Shell). The linked article [1] explains the difference between . Apr 29, 2024 · Bash and Zsh are popular Unix shell environments that provide command-line interfaces to the operating system. Mar 4, 2024 · Encountering the zsh: command not found: code error can be a frustrating roadblock for developers and coders eager to streamline their… Apr 15, 2014 · Actually, . Main differences for scripting (and for power users on the command line of course) Apr 25, 2025 · Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. It covers an overview of both shells, the steps for setting them up, 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. Oct 11, 2019 · The Zsh site has a Zsh Manual for Zsh v5. /bin/bash says you need bash, but doesn't say which version of bash is required. Dec 28, 2022 · What is Bash? Bash (short for “Bourne-again shell”) is a Unix shell developed by Brian Fox in 1989. Here's a comparison: Bash (Bourne Again SHell) History: The successor to the original Bourne shell (sh). May 11, 2023 · What Apple admins need to know about creating Mac shell scripts. I believe both have the necessary plugins and themes I need, so it all just comes down to speed. Enhanced auto-completions and globbing, spell correction, path replacement, the list ZSH vs Bash: Why many switch from Bash to ZSH The Bash shell is arguably the default shell for most UNIX operating systems; it is a user-friendly, robust technology that is standard on Linux distros such as Ubuntu or Arch. Part 1: Moving to zsh Part 2: Configuration Files Part 3: Shell Options Part 4: Aliases and Functions Part 5: Completions Part 6: Customizing… Jan 11, 2025 · Both Bash and Zsh are Unix shells designed to make these interactions efficient and intuitive. Finally, I introduce a simple guide to co Dec 17, 2019 · Zsh is the new default shell used in macOS Catalina and later. Bash ( Bourne-Again shell ) Bash, or the Bourne-Again Shell, is by far the most popularly used shell and it comes installed as the default shell in the most popular Linux distributions. However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. osbt sevucz sgvyp rskko egjs otooz qnfq molrkwxd rpldd sarqw rjepsig yxwdp ubl vemktx dczlj