NB: resource original post is from here: https://dev.to/kanakos01/setup-zsh-on-ubuntu-how-and-why-2kl4

What is Zsh?

Zsh (Z shell) is a program that allows you to interact with your computer using commands instead of a mouse. While similar to Bash, the default shell in Ubuntu, Zsh is often preferred because of its rich customization options, better plugins, and features like stronger autosuggestions and tab completions.

Setting up Zsh

Follow these steps to install and configure Zsh on your Ubuntu system.

1. Update System and Install Zsh

First, ensure your system is up to date and install the Zsh package.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install zsh -y

2. Change Default Shell

Set Zsh as your default shell. Note that you may need to restart your terminal for this to take effect.

chsh -s /usr/bin/zsh

3. Install Oh My Zsh

Oh My Zsh is a framework that makes managing your Zsh configuration much easier.

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

Theming and Visuals

To make the terminal look better, we will install powerline fonts and the Powerlevel10k theme.

1. Install Fonts and Tools

Install the necessary fonts and dconf-cli for configuration support.

sudo apt-get install fonts-powerline
sudo apt-get install dconf-cli

2. Install Powerlevel10k Theme

Clone the repository for the Powerlevel10k theme.

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

Plugins and Configuration

Enhance functionality with syntax highlighting and autosuggestions.

1. Install Plugins

Clone the repositories for the recommended plugins.

git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions.git $ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

2. Update .zshrc File

Now, edit your configuration file to apply the theme and plugins.

nano ~/.zshrc

Inside the file, make the following changes:

  • Find ZSH_THEME="<theme_name>" and replace it with: ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"
  • Find plugins=(git) and replace it with: plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting)

3. Apply Changes and Configure

Save the file, exit the editor, and apply the changes.

source ~/.zshrc

Finally, run the configuration wizard for the theme if it doesn't start automatically.

p10k configure