Show HN: Z shell configuration, zsh startup files, when they load, what they do

Z shell configuration

We use Z shell extensively, on many kinds of systems. We use a Z shell configuration and directory naming conventions that help with compatibility, flexibility, and portability. This repo describes our conventions and has our typical starter setup for Z shell aliases, functions, settings, etc. In practice this works well with other Z shell tools, such as oh-my-zsh.

Contents:

zsh startup files

There are five startup files that zsh will read commands from in order:

zshenv zprofile zshrc zlogin zlogout

Below, we explain more about each of these files, when it is loaded, and what it does.

zsh locations

The default location for zsh system-wide files is in /etc.

The default location for zsh user files is in $HOME; this can be customized by setting $ZDOTDIR.

Thus the default locations are:

/etc/zshenv /etc/zprofile /etc/zshrc /etc/zlogin /etc/zlogout $HOME/.zshenv $HOME/.zprofile $HOME/.zshrc $HOME/.zlogin $HOME/.zlogout

zsh directories

We use the default locations, plus a convention of corresponding directories where we can put additional files:

/etc/zshenv.d /etc/zprofile.d /etc/zshrc.d /etc/zlogin.d /etc/zlogout.d $HOME/.zshenv.d $HOME/.zprofile.d $HOME/.zshrc.d $HOME/.zlogin.d $HOME/.zlogout.d

To create the directories:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/zshenv.d sudo mkdir -p /etc/zprofile.d sudo mkdir -p /etc/zshrc.d sudo mkdir -p /etc/zlogin.d sudo mkdir -p /etc/zlogout.d mkdir -p $HOME/.zshenv.d mkdir -p $HOME/.zprofile.d mkdir -p $HOME/.zshrc.d mkdir -p $HOME/.zlogin.d mkdir -p $HOME/.zlogout.d

zsh loading

To make zsh to load the files from the directories, we edit each zsh file, and add a line like this:

for f in /etc/zshenv.d/**/*.zsh(N); do [ -r "$f" ] && source "$f"; done

We must customize the above line for each specific path, such as this line for the user's file:

for f in $HOME/.zshenv.d/**/*.zsh(N); do [ -r "$f" ] && source "$f"; done

zsh startup files: when they load and what they do

zshenv

zshenv is sourced on all invocations of the shell, unless the -f option is set.

What goes in it:

• Set up the command search path

• Other important environment variables

• Commands to set up aliases and functions that are needed for other scripts

What does NOT go in it:

zprofile

zprofile is sourced in login shells. It is meant as an alternative to zlogin for ksh fans; the two are not intended to be used together, although this could certainly be done if desired.

What goes in it:

• Commands that should be executed only in login shells.

• As a general rule, it should not change the shell environment at all.

• As a general rule, set the terminal type then run a series of external commands e.g. fortune, msgs, etc.

What does NOT go in it:

zshrc

zshrc is sourced in interactive shells.

What goes in it:

• Commands to set up aliases, functions, options, key bindings, for interactive use etc.

zlogin

zlogin is like zprofile, except sourced after zshrc.

zlogout

zlogout is sourced when login shells exit.

extras

Some zsh setups provide more files that are not read by zsh:

Repo files

This repo contains our Z shell conventions for subdirectories and also our files that we like to use with multiple teams.

Notable subdirectories:

• zshenv.d/functions is for functions.

• zshenv.d/programs is for configuring environment programs via environment variables, such as $EDITOR, $PAGER, etc.

• zshenv.d/settings is for Z shell settings, such as for completion, histor, etc.

• zshrc.d/aliases is for aliases, such as g for git, now for printing the current time, etc.

Install

Clone:

git clone https:://github.com/sixarm/sixarm_zsh_etc_files

Move the directories and files as you like, to wherever you want.

For example, to copy all the files into your user directories:

cd sixarm_zsh_etc_files cp -R zshenv.d/* $HOME/.zshenv.d cp -R zprofile.d/* $HOME/.zprofile.d cp -R zshrc.d/* $HOME/.zzshrc.d cp -R zlogin.d/* $HOME/.zlogin.d cp -R zlogout.d/* $HOME/.zlogout.d

Install system-wide

For some of our systems, we prefer to install system-wide, so the repo files are available for all the system users.

We also prefer to keep the repo directory independent, so we can fetch changes when we want.

To do this, we put the repo in our preferred directory /opt:

git clone https:://github.com/sixarm/sixarm_zsh_etc_files /opt/sixarm_zsh_etc_files

Each user can then use the files by editing the corresponding user file and adding a line like:

for f in /opt/sixarm_zsh_etc_files/zshenv.d/**/*.zsh(N); do [ -r "$f" ] && source "$f"; done

Contribute your files

If you have zsh files that you like and that are good for many people, then send them along. We welcome additions, and also welcome pull requests.

from Hacker News https://github.com/SixArm/sixarm_zsh_config