This document is a WORK IN PROGRESS.
This is just a quick personal cheat sheet: treat its contents with caution!

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Zsh

Prerequisite(s)

• XDG

Reference(s)

• https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Zsh
• https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Zsh/Guide
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Zsh
• https://github.com/koalaman/shellcheck
• https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Shell
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Command-line_shell
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Command-line_shell#Changing_your_default_shell
• https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/71253/what-should-shouldnt-go-in-zshenv-zshrc-zlogin-zprofile-zlogout

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Table of contents

• Install
• Config
  • Avoid dotfile madness
• zim

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Install

emergepacman

# emerge -a app-shells/zsh
# emerge -a app-shells/zsh-completions
# emerge -a app-shells/gentoo-zsh-completions
# emerge -a app-eselect/eselect-sh

# pacman -S zsh
# pacman -S zsh-completions

Define Zsh as the default shell for current user but don't configure it, let zim (see later) handle the configuration:

$ zsh
$ autoload -Uz zsh-newuser-install
$ zsh-newuser-install -f # init guide, do not configure anything: enter 'q' to quit immediatly
$ chsh -s /bin/zsh

portage

# euse -E zsh-completion
# vi /etc/portage/make.conf # check that the use flag "zsh-completion" has been append:
    > ...
    > USE="... zsh-completion"
    > ...

# emerge --ask --changed-use --deep @world # sys update for the use flag to take effect

Now exit Zsh and reboot:

$ exit # exit zsh
# reboot

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Config

• The Zsh config will mostly be handled by zim (see the last section of this guide).

• Specify the location of your command history:

  $ vi ${ZDOTDIR:-${HOME}}/.zshenv
    > ...
    > # ZSH & ZIM
  + > export ZDOTDIR="$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zdotdir"
  + > export HISTFILE="${ZDOTDIR:-${HOME}}/.zhistory"
    > ...
  $ source ${ZDOTDIR:-${HOME}}/.zshenv
  

Avoid dotfile madness

Make sure you stay in control of your home directory.

Prerequisite

• XDG

See how to handle Zsh related dotfiles.

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zim

To start with a sane zsh config and a good zsh framework: see zim

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