How to Installing Zsh on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Manjaro linux

Are you looking to elevate your command-line experience? The Z Shell (zsh) is a fantastic alternative to the default Bash shell, packed with features that boost productivity and customization. Known for its advanced auto-completion, powerful scripting, and a vibrant ecosystem of plugins and themes, zsh is a favorite among developers and power users.

This guide will walk you through the simple steps to install zsh on both Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) and Manjaro Linux. Let's get started and unlock a more efficient and enjoyable terminal experience!

Why Choose Zsh Over Bash?

While Bash is a solid and reliable shell, zsh takes things to the next level with a range of enhancements:

• Intelligent Auto-Completion: Forget clumsy tab-completion! Zsh's auto-completion is incredibly smart. It doesn't just complete commands; it suggests options, arguments, filenames, and even corrects typos as you type. This predictive completion drastically speeds up your workflow.
• Spelling Correction: We all make typos. Zsh has your back with automatic spelling correction for commands. Mistype a command? Zsh will often recognize your intent and fix it for you, saving you time and frustration.
• Highly Customizable Prompts and Themes: Make your terminal your own! Zsh offers extensive customization for your command prompt. From simple and clean to information-rich and colorful, you can tailor your prompt to display exactly what you need. Plus, with themes, you can instantly transform the look and feel of your entire terminal.
• Powerful History Search: Need to recall a command you used earlier? Zsh's history search is a breeze. Easily search through your command history with intuitive keywords, making it simple to reuse complex commands without retyping them.
• Oh-My-Zsh Integration: One of zsh's biggest strengths is its thriving community and the Oh-My-Zsh framework. Oh-My-Zsh is a community-driven, open-source framework that manages your zsh configuration. It comes bundled with thousands of helpful plugins (for things like git, Docker, Kubernetes, and more) and beautiful themes to personalize your shell even further.

Installing Zsh: Step-by-Step Guides

The installation process for zsh is straightforward on both Ubuntu and Manjaro. Choose the section relevant to your Linux distribution:

For Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Debian-based Systems

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat), like other Debian-based distributions, makes installing zsh a snap using the apt package manager. Here's how:

1. Update Your Package List: Before installing any new software, it's always a good practice to update your system's package lists. Open your terminal and run:

   Bash

   sudo apt update
   

   This command fetches the latest information about available packages from the Ubuntu repositories.

2. Install zsh: Now, install zsh itself using the following command:

   Bash

   sudo apt install zsh
   

   The apt install zsh command will download and install the zsh package and any necessary dependencies. You'll likely be prompted to confirm the installation by typing Y and pressing Enter.

For Manjaro and Arch-based Systems

Manjaro, being an Arch Linux-based distribution, uses pacman as its package manager. Installing zsh on Manjaro is equally simple:

1. Synchronize and Update Packages (Optional but Recommended): While not strictly necessary for a simple zsh install, it's generally good practice to synchronize your package databases. You can do this with:

   Bash

   sudo pacman -Sy
   

   This command refreshes your package lists.

2. Install zsh: Install zsh using pacman:

   Bash

   sudo pacman -S zsh
   

   pacman -S zsh will download and install zsh from the Manjaro repositories. Confirm the installation if prompted.

Verifying Your Zsh Installation

After the installation process completes (whether on Ubuntu or Manjaro), it's a good idea to verify that zsh has been installed correctly. You can do this by checking the zsh version:

Bash

zsh --version

If zsh is installed properly, this command will output the version of zsh installed on your system, for example: zsh 5.9.0 (x86_64-manjaro-linux-gnu).

Congratulations! You have successfully installed zsh on your system.

Next Steps: Setting Zsh as Your Default Shell and Customization

While zsh is now installed, your terminal likely still defaults to Bash. To truly experience zsh, you'll want to set it as your default shell. We'll cover this, along with basic customization and exploring the power of Oh-My-Zsh, in a future post. Stay tuned!

For now, you can start using zsh immediately by simply typing zsh in your terminal and pressing Enter. Experiment with the enhanced auto-completion and discover the power of your new shell!