ZSH + Zinit¶

Z Shell. Better than Bash, faster than oh-my-zsh. Zinit plugin manager gives you blazing fast startup, lazy loading, and Turbo mode. No bloat, just speed and features.

Why Zinit over Oh-My-ZSH

10x faster startup (50ms vs 500ms), lazy loading, Turbo mode, granular control, load only what you need. Oh-My-ZSH loads everything at startup - Zinit loads on demand.

Quick Start¶

InstallationBasic ConfigurationTurbo Mode (Fast Loading)

Install ZSH:

# macOS (already installed)
zsh --version

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install zsh

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S zsh

# Set as default shell
chsh -s $(which zsh)

Install Zinit:

bash -c "$(curl --fail --show-error --silent --location https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zdharma-continuum/zinit/HEAD/scripts/install.sh)"

Verify:

# Restart shell or run:
exec zsh

# Check zinit
zinit --help

~/.zshrc starter:

# ============================================
# ZINIT SETUP
# ============================================

# Enable Powerlevel10k instant prompt (optional)
if [[ -r "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh" ]]; then
  source "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh"
fi

# Zinit initialization
ZINIT_HOME="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-${HOME}/.local/share}/zinit/zinit.git"
source "${ZINIT_HOME}/zinit.zsh"

# ============================================
# BASIC ZSH OPTIONS
# ============================================

# History
HISTSIZE=10000
SAVEHIST=10000
HISTFILE=~/.zsh_history
setopt HIST_IGNORE_ALL_DUPS
setopt HIST_FIND_NO_DUPS
setopt SHARE_HISTORY
setopt APPEND_HISTORY
setopt INC_APPEND_HISTORY

# Directory navigation
setopt AUTO_CD              # cd by typing directory name
setopt AUTO_PUSHD           # Push directories to stack
setopt PUSHD_IGNORE_DUPS    # No duplicate dirs in stack
setopt PUSHD_SILENT         # Don't print stack

# Completion
setopt ALWAYS_TO_END        # Move cursor to end on complete
setopt AUTO_MENU            # Show completion menu on tab
setopt COMPLETE_IN_WORD     # Complete from both ends

# ============================================
# PLUGINS
# ============================================

# Theme (Powerlevel10k)
zinit ice depth=1
zinit light romkatv/powerlevel10k

# Syntax highlighting (must be loaded last)
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting

# Autosuggestions
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions

# Completions
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-completions

# History substring search
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search

# ============================================
# KEYBINDINGS
# ============================================

# Vi mode
bindkey -v

# History search
bindkey '^[[A' history-substring-search-up
bindkey '^[[B' history-substring-search-down

# ============================================
# ALIASES
# ============================================

alias ls='ls --color=auto'
alias ll='ls -lh'
alias la='ls -lah'
alias ..='cd ..'
alias ...='cd ../..'

# Git aliases
alias g='git'
alias gs='git status'
alias ga='git add'
alias gc='git commit'
alias gp='git push'
alias gl='git pull'
alias gd='git diff'

# ============================================
# COMPLETIONS
# ============================================

autoload -Uz compinit
compinit

# ============================================
# INTEGRATIONS
# ============================================

# ASDF
. $HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh

# Powerlevel10k config
[[ ! -f ~/.p10k.zsh ]] || source ~/.p10k.zsh

Advanced .zshrc with Turbo mode:

# Load plugins with Turbo mode (lazy loading)

# Syntax highlighting (load after 0 seconds, wait mode)
zinit ice wait lucid atinit"zpcompinit; zpcdreplay"
zinit light zdharma-continuum/fast-syntax-highlighting

# Autosuggestions (load immediately, async)
zinit ice wait lucid atload"_zsh_autosuggest_start"
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions

# Completions (turbo load)
zinit ice wait lucid blockf atpull'zinit creinstall -q .'
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-completions

# Additional plugins with turbo
zinit ice wait lucid
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/git/git.plugin.zsh

zinit ice wait lucid
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/docker/docker.plugin.zsh

zinit ice wait lucid
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/kubectl/kubectl.plugin.zsh

Turbo mode explanation: - wait - Load after prompt appears - lucid - Don't show loading messages - atload - Run command after loading - atinit - Run command before loading - Result: Shell starts in ~50ms, plugins load in background

Essential Plugins¶

# ============================================
# THEME
# ============================================

# Powerlevel10k (best performance)
zinit ice depth=1
zinit light romkatv/powerlevel10k

# Pure theme (minimalist alternative)
# zinit ice compile'(pure|async).zsh' pick'async.zsh' src'pure.zsh'
# zinit light sindresorhus/pure

# ============================================
# CORE FUNCTIONALITY
# ============================================

# Syntax highlighting (fast fork)
zinit light zdharma-continuum/fast-syntax-highlighting

# Autosuggestions (fish-like)
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
ZSH_AUTOSUGGEST_STRATEGY=(history completion)

# Completions
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-completions

# History substring search
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search
bindkey '^[[A' history-substring-search-up
bindkey '^[[B' history-substring-search-down

# ============================================
# PRODUCTIVITY
# ============================================

# fzf (fuzzy finder)
zinit ice from"gh-r" as"program"
zinit light junegunn/fzf
zinit snippet https://github.com/junegunn/fzf/blob/master/shell/completion.zsh
zinit snippet https://github.com/junegunn/fzf/blob/master/shell/key-bindings.zsh

# bat (better cat)
zinit ice as"program" from"gh-r" mv"bat* -> bat" pick"bat/bat"
zinit light sharkdp/bat

# exa (better ls)
zinit ice as"program" from"gh-r" mv"exa* -> exa"
zinit light ogham/exa
alias ls='exa'
alias ll='exa -l'
alias la='exa -la'

# z (directory jumper)
zinit light agkozak/zsh-z

# ============================================
# OH-MY-ZSH PLUGINS (cherry-pick)
# ============================================

# Git plugin
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/git/git.plugin.zsh

# Docker plugin
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/docker/docker.plugin.zsh

# Kubectl plugin
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/kubectl/kubectl.plugin.zsh

# Terraform plugin
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/terraform/terraform.plugin.zsh

# ============================================
# DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
# ============================================

# asdf completions
zinit ice wait lucid
zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/asdf/asdf.plugin.zsh

# NVM (if not using asdf)
# zinit ice wait lucid
# zinit snippet OMZ::plugins/nvm/nvm.plugin.zsh

Zinit Commands¶

# Plugin management
zinit self-update              # Update zinit itself
zinit update                   # Update all plugins
zinit update <plugin>          # Update specific plugin
zinit delete <plugin>          # Delete plugin
zinit list                     # List installed plugins

# Performance
zinit times                    # Show plugin load times
zinit report <plugin>          # Show plugin info
zinit compile <plugin>         # Compile plugin for speed

# Debugging
zinit status                   # Show zinit status
zinit analytics                # Show usage analytics
zinit help                     # Show help

# Maintenance
zinit cclear                   # Clear completions
zinit csearch                  # Search for completion
zinit creinstall <plugin>      # Reinstall completions

Powerlevel10k Setup¶

# Install Powerlevel10k
zinit ice depth=1
zinit light romkatv/powerlevel10k

# Run configuration wizard
p10k configure

# Reload shell
exec zsh

# Reconfigure anytime
p10k configure

Recommended settings: - Prompt style: Rainbow - Character set: Unicode - Show current time: 24-hour - Prompt separators: Angled - Prompt heads: Sharp - Prompt tails: Flat - Prompt height: Two lines - Prompt connection: Disconnected - Prompt frame: Left - Transient prompt: Yes - Instant prompt: Verbose

Pro Tips¶

Use Turbo mode - Shell starts instantly, plugins load in background
Cherry-pick OMZ plugins - Don't load entire framework, just snippets
Benchmark startup - Run time zsh -i -c exit to measure
Use ice modifiers - wait, lucid, atload for fine control
Compile plugins - Zinit compiles to native code for speed
Lazy load tools - ASDF, NVM, etc. should load on first use
Use p10k instant prompt - Appears before zsh fully loads
Profile slow plugins - Run zinit times to find bottlenecks
Keep .zshrc organized - Group plugins by category
Use bindkey -v - Vi mode for command line editing

Common Gotchas¶

Slow startup - Profile with zinit times, use Turbo mode
Completions not working - Run zinit cclear && zinit creinstall -q .
Oh-My-ZSH muscle memory - Cherry-pick plugins as snippets instead
ASDF not loading - Source after zinit: . $HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh
Theme not showing - Install Nerd Font (MesloLGS NF for p10k)
Instant prompt warnings - Move slow commands after p10k source
Keybindings reset - Set keybindings after all plugins load
History not shared - Enable SHARE_HISTORY and INC_APPEND_HISTORY
Autosuggestions color - Set ZSH_AUTOSUGGEST_HIGHLIGHT_STYLE='fg=8'

Resources¶

Zinit: - Zinit Wiki - Complete documentation - GitHub - Source code - Zinit Configs - Example configs

ZSH: - ZSH Manual - Official documentation - ZSH Lovers - Tips and tricks - Awesome ZSH - Plugin list

Themes: - Powerlevel10k - Fast theme - Pure - Minimalist theme - Starship - Cross-shell prompt (alternative)

Plugins: - fast-syntax-highlighting - Better highlighting - zsh-autosuggestions - Fish-like suggestions - zsh-completions - Extra completions

Communities: - r/zsh - Reddit community - ZSH Discord - Discord server

Last Updated: 2026-02-03

Tags: zsh, zinit, shell, terminal, cli, powerlevel10k, productivity, development-tools