zsh and GNU stow #14
1 changed files with 24 additions and 14 deletions
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______________________________________________________________________
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---
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date: 2025-06-04
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title: zsh and GNU stow
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@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ tags:
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- linux
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- development
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______________________________________________________________________
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---
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In [my last post exploring `nvim`](https://blog.mcknight.tech/2025/05/21/nvim/), I mentioned some potential next projects on my agenda.
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Well, I wasted no time continuing down the path of trying to perfect my shell experience. I very quickly updated my
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@ -102,13 +102,13 @@ haven't run into any issues thus far and `zsh` is good enough to be the default
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operating systems, including macOS and TrueNAS.
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There are a couple reasons I decided to try `zsh`, the first being tab completion which
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I find helpful when completing a path or command where there are only a couple options to tab through.
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I find helpful when completing a path or command where there are only a couple options to tab through.
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The other reasons I wanted to experiment with `zsh` are a bit more complex.
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### RC Files
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[Run Commands files](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RUNCOM) are basically files that
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are executed when a program starts. I
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[Run Commands files](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RUNCOM) are basically files that
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are executed when a program starts. I
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[previously detailed my .bashrc file](https://blog.mcknight.tech/2024/03/27/Shell-Customizations/#BASH-Configuration),
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which is executed whenever I open a new `bash` shell.
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I wanted to experiment with `zsh` configuration because it feels a little more modern
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@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ I use different aliases for different shells (i.e. `sudosu` is shell-specific).
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### `zsh` Plugins
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Another interesting feature of `zsh` is that it supports plugins.
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Another interesting feature of `zsh` is that it supports plugins.
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Now just like with Neovim, there are a number of different plugin managers that can be
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used with `zsh`. I don't know if there is a "best" choice, but after some light reading
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on the popular options I could fine and some [LLM summary comparisons](https://search.brave.com/search?q=zinit+vs+omz&source=desktop&summary=1&conversation=f5495011020a89faf13bf1),
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@ -197,44 +197,53 @@ I settled on [Zinit](https://github.com/zdharma-continuum/zinit) as a lightweigh
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apparently maintained option.
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#### OMZ extract
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This convenience command lets me extract files without having to remember the syntax for
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This convenience command lets me extract files without having to remember the syntax for
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extracting `.tar.xz`, `.zip`, `.tar.gz`, etc. A simple `extract <file>`
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#### OMZ colored-man-pages
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This adds some color to man pages which I think makes it a little easier to skim to find
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CLI args and section headers. Its not the *best* IMO, but something is better than nothing
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here when trying to skim through what can be pretty dense documentation.
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#### OMZ encode64
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It isn't every day that I need to get a b64-encoded representation of a string, but its
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handy to be able to do so quickly and easily.
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#### OMZ pip
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I like having tab completion for pip. I haven't used it too much yet, but I already see
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how this will save me from trying to `pip isntall` when I really mean `pip install`. I
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do this more than I'd like to admit. Other than that, its nice to have reminders for the
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less commonly used flags.
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#### OMZ sudo
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The Oh My Zsh sudo plugin adds a convenience keybind (`esc`+`esc`) to prepend `sudo` to
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the current command or the previous command if the input is empty. I find this to be
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the current command or the previous command if the input is empty. I find this to be
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convenient as it is fairly common to re-run the previous command with elevated privileges
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or to prepend `sudo` if I forgot to start with that.
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#### zsh-autosuggestions
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This plugin works much like suggestions in an IDE, providing a suggested command completion
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that can be filled in with a bound key (I am using `Shift`+`Tab`).
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I find this mapping more convenient than the default `->`, since I can reach it without
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that can be filled in with a bound key (I am using `Shift`+`Tab`).
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I find this mapping more convenient than the default `->`, since I can reach it without
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moving my fingers from the home row and it is easy to remember `tab` and `shift`+`tab`
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are both a kind of completion.
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#### zsh-syntax-highlighting
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This plugin highlights syntax as you type in a command. This clearly identifies unresolved
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commands or files to help catch errors before trying to run an incomplete command. It also
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helps to identify un-escaped characters in a quoted string.
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### `.zshrc`
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Now that I've explained it in parts, here's my `.zshrc` file in its entirety:
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```
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# Lines configured by zsh-newuser-install
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HISTFILE=~/.histfile
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@ -360,25 +369,27 @@ bindkey '^[[Z' autosuggest-accept
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```
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#### Some notes on `autossh`
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I have only been using `autossh` for a couple hours at this point, based on internet recommendations
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that it will do better at resuming with `tmux` (via `tmux-resurrect`). Based on initial testing, it
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appears to be working but I don't yet know if it is markedly better than plain `ssh`.
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Not necessarily related to `autossh`, the `assh` function I included allows for connecting to a
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Not necessarily related to `autossh`, the `assh` function I included allows for connecting to a
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server and applying my `.bashrc` without making permanent changes to the remote server. This does
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not apply to connections that use a `RemoteCommand` in the SSH config, which is intentional; I have
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remotes that run a `tmux` session for remote connections and I wouldn't want to mess with shell
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configurations when multiple connections will be attaching the same `tmux` session.
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### Conclusion
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I don't think my shell configuration will ever be "done", but I've reached a point where I'm
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satisfied for now. GNU `stow` has simplified my dotfile management and made it easier to
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satisfied for now. GNU `stow` has simplified my dotfile management and made it easier to
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manage more configurations as I add tools to my repertoire. I now have `zsh` looking like
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my `bash` shell and all of my aliases and `PATH` management better organized to minimize
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redundant code in shell-specific config files. I've enabled a few zsh plugins that create a
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more pleasant shell experience with extra text highlighting and shortkeys.
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I have no immediate plans for what to work on next, though I
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I have no immediate plans for what to work on next, though I
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[still have some ideas](https://blog.mcknight.tech/2025/05/21/nvim/#What-to-do-next). I may continue my search for a good
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visual file manager in the terminal, or try out Pop!_OS for its window tiling features,
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although I might wait for their [Cosmic DE](https://system76.com/cosmic/) to graduate to
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@ -388,4 +399,3 @@ I also still have some [IDE exploration to do](https://blog.mcknight.tech/2025/0
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As I spend more time using `nvim`, I am starting to use it more for coding tasks and it may become my primary "IDE".
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In any case, I am actively messing with my `nvim` configuration, so I probably have enough thoughts for another post
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about that.
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