How To Install Zsh on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the latest long-term support release of the popular Linux distribution, continues to be a favorite among developers and system administrators. As users seek to enhance their command-line experience, many turn to Zsh (Z Shell) as a powerful alternative to the default Bash shell. This guide will walk you through the process of installing and configuring Zsh on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, helping you unlock a more efficient and customizable terminal environment.

What is Zsh?

Zsh, short for Z Shell, is an extended version of the Bourne Shell (sh) with numerous improvements and features. Developed in 1990 by Paul Falstad, Zsh has evolved into a powerful and versatile shell that combines functionality from bash, ksh, and tcsh. It offers advanced command-line editing capabilities, smart auto-completion, and extensive customization options.

Compared to other shells like Bash and Ksh, Zsh stands out with its:

• Improved tab completion system
• Spelling correction and approximate completion
• Recursive path expansion
• Right-hand side prompts
• Loadable modules for extended functionality

Why Use Zsh?

Zsh offers several advantages over traditional shells, making it an attractive choice for both beginners and experienced Linux users:

• Enhanced Productivity: Zsh’s intelligent auto-completion and correction features significantly reduce typing errors and speed up command execution.
• Customization: With a vast array of themes and plugins available, users can tailor their shell experience to suit their preferences and workflow.
• Shared History: Zsh allows for shared command history across multiple terminal sessions, making it easier to recall and reuse previous commands.
• Better Scripting: Zsh offers more advanced scripting capabilities, including improved array handling and regular expression support.
• Community Support: A large and active community contributes to ongoing development, creating plugins, themes, and providing support through forums and documentation.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the installation of Zsh on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• A system running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
• Root or sudo privileges on your account
• A stable internet connection for downloading packages
• Basic familiarity with terminal commands

Additionally, you’ll need the following tools, which are typically pre-installed on Ubuntu systems:

• wget or curl (for downloading files)
• git (for version control and plugin management)

If any of these tools are missing, you can install them using the following command:

sudo apt install wget curl git

Installing Zsh

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the installation process for Zsh on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Follow these steps to get Zsh up and running on your system:

1. Update System Repository

Before installing any new software, it’s always a good practice to update your system’s package list. Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt update

2. Install Zsh

With the package list updated, you can now install Zsh using the apt package manager:

sudo apt install zsh

This command will download and install Zsh along with its dependencies.

3. Verify Installation

To ensure that Zsh has been installed correctly, check its version by running:

zsh --version

You should see output similar to:

zsh 5.9 (x86_64-ubuntu-linux-gnu)

The version number may vary depending on the latest available package in the Ubuntu repositories.

Configuring Zsh

After successfully installing Zsh, the next step is to configure it to suit your needs. Zsh offers a user-friendly configuration wizard that runs on first launch.

1. Launch Zsh

To start Zsh for the first time, simply type:

zsh

You’ll be greeted with the Zsh configuration wizard, which will guide you through initial setup options.

2. Navigate the Configuration Wizard

The wizard presents several options for configuring your Zsh environment. Here’s a brief overview of each option:

1. Configure main menu options: This allows you to set up history, completion, and various other Zsh features.
2. Configure history: Set options for command history, such as size and saving preferences.
3. Configure completion: Customize how Zsh handles command and argument completion.
4. Configure keybindings: Set up keyboard shortcuts for various shell functions.
5. Configure prompt: Customize your command prompt appearance.
6. Configure other options: Additional settings for Zsh behavior.

For beginners, it’s often best to choose the default options and customize later as you become more familiar with Zsh.

3. Edit .zshrc File

After completing the initial setup, you can further customize Zsh by editing the .zshrc file in your home directory. This file contains Zsh configuration settings and is loaded each time you start a new Zsh session.

To edit this file, use a text editor like nano:

nano ~/.zshrc

Here, you can add aliases, modify environment variables, and set various Zsh options to tailor your shell experience.

Installing Oh My Zsh

Oh My Zsh is a popular framework for managing Zsh configurations. It provides a collection of themes and plugins that can significantly enhance your Zsh experience. Here’s how to install and set up Oh My Zsh:

1. Download and Install Oh My Zsh

You can install Oh My Zsh using either curl or wget. Choose one of the following commands:

Using curl:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Or using wget:

sh -c "$(wget -O- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

This script will download and install Oh My Zsh, creating a new .zshrc file with default settings.

2. Configure Oh My Zsh

After installation, you can customize Oh My Zsh by editing the .zshrc file:

nano ~/.zshrc

In this file, you can change themes, enable plugins, and set various Oh My Zsh options. For example, to change the theme, locate the ZSH_THEME line and modify it:

ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"

Replace “robbyrussell” with any theme name from the Oh My Zsh theme collection.

Setting Zsh as Default Shell

To fully embrace Zsh, you’ll want to set it as your default shell. This ensures that Zsh launches automatically when you open a terminal or log in to your system. Here’s how to do it:

1. Change Default Shell

Use the chsh (change shell) command to set Zsh as your default shell:

chsh -s $(which zsh)

You’ll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the change.

2. Verify the Change

To confirm that Zsh is now your default shell, you can check the value of the SHELL environment variable:

echo $SHELL

This should output /usr/bin/zsh or a similar path to the Zsh executable.

3. Restart or Log Out

For the changes to take effect, you’ll need to log out and log back in, or restart your system. After doing so, new terminal sessions will automatically start with Zsh.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Zsh. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the Zsh powerful Unix command interpreter on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Zsh website.