Zsh

Prompt Commands

Customize your Zsh prompt with colors, git status, execution time, and dynamic information. Use prompt themes or build your own with Zsh's powerful prompt expansion system.

10 commands

Pro Tips

Use '%F{cyan}%n@%m%f' for colored username@host. %F sets foreground color, %f resets it.

Add git info with 'vcs_info' module: 'autoload -Uz vcs_info && precmd() { vcs_info }' then use '${vcs_info_msg_0_}'.

Use RPROMPT for right-side info like execution time: 'RPROMPT="%F{yellow}%*%f"' shows the current time.

Common Mistakes

Complex prompts with git status checks on large repos can slow down every command. Use async prompts for heavy operations.

Consider using Starship or Powerlevel10k instead of manual prompt configuration — they handle edge cases and async loading.

Commands

Initialize completions

$ autoload -Uz compinit && compinit

Initialize zsh completion system

Menu-style completion

$ zstyle ':completion:*' menu select

Enable menu-style tab completion

History substring search

$ bindkey '^[[A' history-substring-search-up

Search history with up arrow

Show available colors

$ for i in {0..255}; do print -Pn "%K{$i} %k%F{$i}${(l:3::0:)i}%f " ${${(M)$((i%6)):#3}:+$'\n'}; done

Display all 256 terminal colors

Basic prompt

$ PROMPT='%n@%m:%~%# '

Set basic prompt (user@host:dir)

Colored prompt

$ PROMPT='%F{green}%n%f@%F{blue}%m%f:%F{yellow}%~%f%# '

Set colored prompt

Prompt escape codes

$ # %n=user %m=host %~=dir %#=prompt %F{color}=fg %f=reset

Common prompt escape sequences reference

Enable git info in prompt

$ autoload -Uz vcs_info && precmd() { vcs_info }

Enable version control info in prompt

Right-side prompt

$ RPROMPT='%F{cyan}%*%f'

Set right-side prompt (shows time)

Transient prompt setup

$ # In p10k, set POWERLEVEL9K_TRANSIENT_PROMPT=same-dir

Simplify prompt after command execution

Zsh