Restart your terminal and you’re done. Enjoy your Zsh IMproved! Take some time
to tweak your ~/.zshrc file, and to also check the available
modules and themes you can add to your ~/.zimrc.
Manual installation
Set Zsh as the default shell, if you haven’t done so already:
Restart your terminal and you’re done. Enjoy your Zsh IMproved!
Set up ~/.zshrc
Add the lines below to your ~/.zshrc file, in the following order:
To use our degit tool by default to install modules:
zstyle ':zim:zmodule' use 'degit'
This is optional, and only required if you don’t have git installed (yes,
Zim works even without git!)
To set where the directory used by Zim will be located:
ZIM_HOME=~/.zim
The value of ZIM_HOME can be any directory your user has write access to.
You can even set it to a cache directory like ${XDG_CACHE_HOME}/zim or
~/.cache/zim if you also include the step below, that automatically
downloads the zimfw plugin manager.
To automatically download the zimfw plugin manager if missing:
# Download zimfw plugin manager if missing.
if [[ ! -e ${ZIM_HOME}/zimfw.zsh ]]; then
curl -fsSL --create-dirs -o ${ZIM_HOME}/zimfw.zsh \
https://github.com/zimfw/zimfw/releases/latest/download/zimfw.zsh
fi
Or if you use wget instead of curl:
# Download zimfw plugin manager if missing.
if [[ ! -e ${ZIM_HOME}/zimfw.zsh ]]; then
mkdir -p ${ZIM_HOME} && wget -nv -O ${ZIM_HOME}/zimfw.zsh \
https://github.com/zimfw/zimfw/releases/latest/download/zimfw.zsh
fi
This is optional. If you choose to not include this step, you should manually
download the zimfw.zsh script once and keep it at ${ZIM_HOME}.
To automatically install missing modules and update the static initialization
script if missing or outdated:
# Install missing modules, and update ${ZIM_HOME}/init.zsh if missing or outdated.
if [[ ! ${ZIM_HOME}/init.zsh -nt ${ZDOTDIR:-${HOME}}/.zimrc ]]; then
source ${ZIM_HOME}/zimfw.zsh init -q
fi
This step is optional, but highly recommended. If you choose to not include
it, you must remember to manually run zimfw install every time after you
update your ~/.zimrc file.
To source the static script, that will initialize your modules:
# Initialize modules.
source ${ZIM_HOME}/init.zsh
Create ~/.zimrc
You must create your .zimrc file at ~/.zimrc, if the ZDOTDIR environment
variable is not defined. Otherwise, it must be at ${ZDOTDIR}/.zimrc. It’s
referred to as ~/.zimrc in the documentation for the sake of simplicity.
The completion module calls compinit for you. You should remove any
compinit calls from your ~/.zshrc when you use this module. The modules will
be initialized in the order they are defined, and completion must be
initialized after all modules that add completion definitions, so it must come
after zsh-users/zsh-completions.
Check the zmodule usage below for more examples on how to use it to
define the modules you want to use.
Usage
The zimfw plugin manager installs your modules at ${ZIM_HOME}/modules, and
builds a static script at ${ZIM_HOME}/init.zsh that will initialize them. Your
modules are defined in your ~/.zimrc file.
The ~/.zimrc file must contain a zmodule call for each module you want to
use. The modules will be initialized in the order they are defined.
The ~/.zimrc file is not sourced during Zsh startup, and it’s only used to
configure the zimfw plugin manager.
A module from the @zimfw organization: zmodule archive
A module from another GitHub organization: zmodule StackExchange/blackbox
A module with a custom URL: zmodule https://gitlab.com/Spriithy/basher.git
A module at an absolute path, that is already installed:
zmodule /usr/local/share/zsh-autosuggestions
A module with a custom fpath: zmodule zsh-users/zsh-completions --fpath src
A module with a custom initialization file, and with git submodules disabled:
zmodule spaceship-prompt/spaceship-prompt --source spaceship.zsh --no-submodules or
zmodule spaceship-prompt/spaceship-prompt --name spaceship --no-submodules
A module with two custom initialization files:
zmodule sindresorhus/pure --source async.zsh --source pure.zsh
A module with a custom initialization command:
zmodule skywind3000/z.lua --cmd 'eval "$(lua {}/z.lua --init zsh enhanced once)"'
A module with an on-pull command. It can be used to create a cached initialization script:
zmodule skywind3000/z.lua --on-pull 'lua z.lua --init zsh enhanced once >! init.zsh'
A module with a big git repository: zmodule romkatv/powerlevel10k --use degit
Want help with the complete zmodule usage?
Usage: zmodule <url> [-n|--name <module_name>] [options]
Add zmodule calls to your ~/.zimrc file to define the modules to be initialized. The modules
are initialized in the same order they are defined.
<url> Module absolute path or repository URL. The following URL formats
are equivalent: foo, zimfw/foo, https://github.com/zimfw/foo.git.
-n|--name <module_name> Set a custom module name. Default: the last component in <url>.
Use slashes inside the name to organize the module into subdirec-
tories.
Repository options:
-b|--branch <branch_name> Use specified branch when installing and updating the module.
Overrides the tag option. Default: the repository default branch.
-t|--tag <tag_name> Use specified tag when installing and updating the module. Over-
rides the branch option.
-u|--use <git|degit> Install and update the module using the defined tool. Default is
either defined by zstyle ':zim:zmodule' use '<git|degit>', or git
if none is provided.
git requires git itself. Local changes are preserved on updates.
degit requires curl or wget, and currently only works with GitHub
URLs. Modules install faster and take less disk space. Local
changes are lost on updates. Git submodules are not supported.
--no-submodules Don't install or update git submodules.
-z|--frozen Don't install or update the module.
--on-pull <command> Execute command after installing or updating the module. The com-
mand is executed in the module root directory.
Initialization options:
-f|--fpath <path> Add specified path to fpath. The path is relative to the module
root directory. Default: functions, if the subdirectory exists.
-a|--autoload <func_name> Autoload specified function. Default: all valid names inside the
functions subdirectory, if any.
-s|--source <file_path> Source specified file. The file path is relative to the module
root directory. Default: init.zsh, if the functions subdirectory
also exists, or the largest of the files with name matching
{init.zsh,module_name.{zsh,plugin.zsh,zsh-theme,sh}}, if any.
-c|--cmd <command> Execute specified command. Occurrences of the {} placeholder in
the command are substituted by the module root directory path.
I.e., -s 'foo.zsh' and -c 'source {}/foo.zsh' are equivalent.
-d|--disabled Don't initialize or uninstall the module.
Setting any initialization option above will disable all the default values from the other
initialization options, so only your provided values are used. I.e. these values are either
all automatic, or all manual.
zimfw
The Zim plugin manager:
Added new modules to ~/.zimrc? Run zimfw install.
Removed modules from ~/.zimrc? Run zimfw uninstall.
Want to update your modules to their latest revisions? Run zimfw update.
Want to upgrade zimfw to its latest version? Run zimfw upgrade.
For more information about the zimfw plugin manager, run zimfw help.
Settings
Modules are installed using git by default. If you don’t have git
installed, or if you want to take advantage of our degit tool for faster and
lighter module installations, you can set degit as the default tool with:
zstyle ':zim:zmodule' use 'degit'
By default, zimfw will check if it has a new version available every 30 days.
This can be disabled with:
zstyle ':zim' disable-version-check yes
Uninstalling
The best way to remove Zim is to manually delete ~/.zim, ~/.zimrc, and
remove the initialization lines from your ~/.zshenv, ~/.zshrc and ~/.zlogin.
What is Zim?
Zim is a Zsh configuration framework that bundles a plugin manager, useful modules, and a wide variety of themes, without compromising on speed.
Check how Zim compares to other frameworks and plugin managers:
Table of Contents
~/.zshrc
~/.zimrc
zmodule
zimfw
Installation
Installing Zim is easy. You can choose either the automatic or manual method below:
Automatic installation
This will install a predefined set of modules and a theme for you.
With
curl
:With
wget
:Restart your terminal and you’re done. Enjoy your Zsh IMproved! Take some time to tweak your
~/.zshrc
file, and to also check the available modules and themes you can add to your~/.zimrc
.Manual installation
Set Zsh as the default shell, if you haven’t done so already:
Set up your
~/.zshrc
fileCreate your
~/.zimrc
fileRestart your terminal and you’re done. Enjoy your Zsh IMproved!
Set up
~/.zshrc
Add the lines below to your
~/.zshrc
file, in the following order:To use our
degit
tool by default to install modules:This is optional, and only required if you don’t have
git
installed (yes, Zim works even withoutgit
!)To set where the directory used by Zim will be located:
The value of
ZIM_HOME
can be any directory your user has write access to. You can even set it to a cache directory like${XDG_CACHE_HOME}/zim
or~/.cache/zim
if you also include the step below, that automatically downloads thezimfw
plugin manager.To automatically download the
zimfw
plugin manager if missing:Or if you use
wget
instead ofcurl
:This is optional. If you choose to not include this step, you should manually download the
zimfw.zsh
script once and keep it at${ZIM_HOME}
.To automatically install missing modules and update the static initialization script if missing or outdated:
This step is optional, but highly recommended. If you choose to not include it, you must remember to manually run
zimfw install
every time after you update your~/.zimrc
file.To source the static script, that will initialize your modules:
Create
~/.zimrc
You must create your
.zimrc
file at~/.zimrc
, if theZDOTDIR
environment variable is not defined. Otherwise, it must be at${ZDOTDIR}/.zimrc
. It’s referred to as~/.zimrc
in the documentation for the sake of simplicity.You can start with just:
If you also want one of our prompt themes:
If you want to use our completion module too, instead of using
compinit
directly:The completion module calls
compinit
for you. You should remove anycompinit
calls from your~/.zshrc
when you use this module. The modules will be initialized in the order they are defined, and completion must be initialized after all modules that add completion definitions, so it must come after zsh-users/zsh-completions.Check the
zmodule
usage below for more examples on how to use it to define the modules you want to use.Usage
The
zimfw
plugin manager installs your modules at${ZIM_HOME}/modules
, and builds a static script at${ZIM_HOME}/init.zsh
that will initialize them. Your modules are defined in your~/.zimrc
file.The
~/.zimrc
file must contain azmodule
call for each module you want to use. The modules will be initialized in the order they are defined.The
~/.zimrc
file is not sourced during Zsh startup, and it’s only used to configure thezimfw
plugin manager.Check examples of
~/.zimrc
files above.zmodule
Below are some usage examples:
zmodule archive
zmodule StackExchange/blackbox
zmodule https://gitlab.com/Spriithy/basher.git
zmodule /usr/local/share/zsh-autosuggestions
zmodule zsh-users/zsh-completions --fpath src
zmodule spaceship-prompt/spaceship-prompt --source spaceship.zsh --no-submodules
orzmodule spaceship-prompt/spaceship-prompt --name spaceship --no-submodules
zmodule sindresorhus/pure --source async.zsh --source pure.zsh
zmodule skywind3000/z.lua --cmd 'eval "$(lua {}/z.lua --init zsh enhanced once)"'
zmodule skywind3000/z.lua --on-pull 'lua z.lua --init zsh enhanced once >! init.zsh'
zmodule romkatv/powerlevel10k --use degit
Want help with the complete
zmodule
usage?zimfw
The Zim plugin manager:
~/.zimrc
? Runzimfw install
.~/.zimrc
? Runzimfw uninstall
.zimfw update
.zimfw
to its latest version? Runzimfw upgrade
.zimfw
plugin manager, runzimfw help
.Settings
Modules are installed using
git
by default. If you don’t havegit
installed, or if you want to take advantage of our degit tool for faster and lighter module installations, you can set degit as the default tool with:By default,
zimfw
will check if it has a new version available every 30 days. This can be disabled with:Uninstalling
The best way to remove Zim is to manually delete
~/.zim
,~/.zimrc
, and remove the initialization lines from your~/.zshenv
,~/.zshrc
and~/.zlogin
.