Upgrade your shell

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-03-22 16:46:01

BASH is great, no doubt about it.

However I prefer zsh because it is more configurable, more efficient and offers better completion, globbing and array handling.

This is particularly true when grml's superb configuration is used -- this offers case-insensitive tab-completion for commands (including flags and options), directory searches and man pages plus a very handy spell-correction feature (are you listening Sector11?).

It even offers complete BASH compatibility for all your old scripts if `emulate sh` is used

Simply install zsh:

sudo apt-get install zsh

Change your user's default shell:

chsh -s $(which zsh)

Download grml's configuration file:

wget -O ~/.zshrc http://git.grml.org/f/grml-etc-core/etc/zsh/zshrc

Then log out & back in again and enjoy the awesomeness

porkpiehat · 2015-03-22 18:51:13

I like zsh, and I used grml for many months. Then I took a good look at the huge grml config and realized I had no idea what 98% of it was doing, so I purged it and wrote my own zsh config, learning a lot in the process.

I do still use bash on most of my test machines, because I am just too lazy to install zsh and move my config over on every new install. (Yes, I know it's lame, but I am that lazy.)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-03-22 19:36:14

porkpiehat wrote:

I like zsh, and I used grml for many months. Then I took a good look at the huge grml config and realized I had no idea what 98% of it was doing, so I purged it and wrote my own zsh config, learning a lot in the process.

This is an exceptionally good point.

I should try this when I have some time.

CBizgreat! · 2015-04-01 21:24:58

cbiz wants to get babble on about this topic, YaY !

Was reading up on off the beaten path tweakage and had gotten around to this. Changing default shell gets mention often enough. Though wanted to share some interesting shellness babble w fellow nixers.

Was researching buncha resources on the topic, of course da blessed archwiki and zsh came up. Though folks may want to know, they've got a default system shell and a user shell, these can be switched o course. This is gnu/Linux afterall ... Debian v 7.0(wheezy) and buntu as of v 6.10 switched system shell from bash to dash.

Fact the boot speed gains in buntu were apparently quite awhile falsely attributed to Upstart, were in fact due to the change over to dash instead. ( Upstart = buntu's proposed sysV init replacement, that got passed over for several reasons in favor of systemd.) So folks can switch between shells either system shell or user and some offer advantages. Even use more than one shell.

Just a matter of nixers doing their homework on the topic and finding which work best for them and offer a balance of pros/cons suiting their preferences. Give peeps who may care summin to start em off, see one relevant search.

Found this thread by HOAS while studying up on shells and wanted to see what was going on in it. Good tute HOAS, yep, you def have all the makings of a fellow compulsive OS tweakster fellow nixer.

Vll!

Last edited by CBizgreat! (2015-04-01 21:32:29)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-04-01 21:40:29

CBizgreat! wrote:

Debian v 7.0(wheezy) and buntu as of v 6.10 switched system shell from bash to dash.

Just to clarify -- in Debian /bin/sh is symlinked to dash rather than bash (as in most other distributions).

For any users of other distributions that do not do this, change to the Debian standard using:

# ln -sfT dash /bin/sh

I do this in Arch with no problems (so far) but if any system scripts with a /bin/sh shebang ("#!/bin/sh") contain bashisms, this will cause the scripts to fail (and this should be reported as a bug).

CBizgreat! · 2015-04-01 21:49:04

Peeps would/should def do a bit of reading up if wanting to dork w shell(s). Curious if you noticed any benefits by switching system shell in Arch HOAS ? What about zsh too, anything that stands out after the switch ... good/bad ?

Outside of just personal preferences I mean ? Would for sure be interested to hear what you've experienced related to shells. Not trying to hijack and will shut it but wanted to try to give folks a hand up on this topic if anyone cared to mess w it.

Vll!

Last edited by CBizgreat! (2015-04-01 21:53:00)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-04-01 21:56:18

CBizgreat! wrote:

Curious if you noticed any benefits by switching system shell in Arch HOAS ?

In all honesty not really but my laptop is a bit of a beast

The Babblemeister also wrote:

What about zsh too, anything that stands out after the switch ... good/bad ?

zsh is awesome!

Try it and find out...

CBizgreat! · 2015-04-01 21:59:51

^Thanks fellow nix tweaker.

Have a pile of pdf's about bash scripting, bashism blahblahblah. Lol ... figured summin out about this though, compiling bks on stuff doesn't friggin work, unless ya actually read em ! Dammit !

Vll!

Sector11 · 2015-05-27 14:22:03

zsh

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

directory searches and man pages plus a very handy spell-correction feature (are you listening Sector11?).

I heard my name and spell checking ... in my dream last night ...

How could I have missed this for so long .. zsh huh .. must have a look see. Thank you HoaS!

cloverskull · 2015-05-27 22:39:55

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned oh-my-zsh. I've been using this with zsh for quite some time both on my linux and osx machines.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-05-28 07:54:02

cloverskull wrote:

oh-my-zsh

That has garnered a rather bad reputation over on the Arch forums due to the number of threads it generates -- it's over-complicated nature can cause strange problems (I've never tried it though)...

cloverskull · 2015-05-28 16:05:10

Interesting. I've had no issues but I should look into that. Thanks.

CrunchBang Linux

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#1 2015-03-22 16:46:01

Upgrade your shell

#2 2015-03-22 18:51:13

Re: Upgrade your shell

#3 2015-03-22 19:36:14

Re: Upgrade your shell

#4 2015-04-01 21:24:58

Re: Upgrade your shell

#5 2015-04-01 21:40:29

Re: Upgrade your shell

#6 2015-04-01 21:49:04

Re: Upgrade your shell

#7 2015-04-01 21:56:18

Re: Upgrade your shell

#8 2015-04-01 21:59:51

Re: Upgrade your shell

#9 2015-05-27 14:22:03

Re: Upgrade your shell

zsh

#10 2015-05-27 22:39:55

Re: Upgrade your shell

#11 2015-05-28 07:54:02

Re: Upgrade your shell

#12 2015-05-28 16:05:10

Re: Upgrade your shell

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