Terminal Configuration#

Terminal Setup#

Xcode#

Install Xcode using the built-in Terminal app

xcode-select --install

Homebrew#

Install Homebrew using the built-in Terminal app

Homebrew calls itself "The missing package manager for macOS" and is an essential tool for any developer.

Installation

Before you can run Homebrew you need to have the Command Line Tools for Xcode installed.

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"

iTerm2#

Install iTerm2

iTerm2 is an open source replacement for Apple's Terminal. It's highly customizable and comes with a lot of useful features.

brew install --cask iterm2

Terminal Customization#

Hotkey Shortcut#

Create a custom hot-key to launch iTerm2 from anywhere: (^ + ⌥ + ⌘ + i)

iTerm2 Preferences -> Keys -> Hotkey -> Create dedicated hotkey window
Set iTerm2 to open (hidden) at login: System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items
If not already, set all profiles to use the MesloLGS NF font in iTerm2 Preferences -> Profile -> Text -> Font

ZSH Plugins#

_static/powerlevel10k.png

zinit#

This guide uses a plugin manager for [zsh] called zinit. It is a small set of functions that help you easily manage your shell (zsh) plugins.

With the following snippet on your ~/.zshrc, zinit will automatically bootstrap itself with the following plugins (see the References page for the full files):

OhMyZsh - The framework for managing your zsh shell
romkatv/powerlevel10k - A powerful OhMyZSH theme and prompt
git - Git aliases and functions
dotenv - Loads environment variables from .env for the current directory
macos - macOS-specific configuration for zsh
autojump - A cd command that learns
web-search - Search the web from the terminal
nvm -nvm (the Node Version Manager) plugin
asdf - asdf (the extendable version manager) plugin
zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting - Fish shell-like syntax highlighting for zsh
zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions - Fish-like autosuggestions for zsh
zsh-users/zsh-completions - Additional completion definitions for zsh

##########################################################
####################### zinit init #######################
##########################################################

### Added by Zinit's installer
if [[ ! -f $HOME/.zinit/bin/zinit.zsh ]]; then
    print -P "%F{33}▓▒░ %F{220}Installing %F{33}DHARMA%F{220} Initiative Plugin Manager (%F{33}zdharma-continuum/zinit%F{220})…%f"
    command mkdir -p "$HOME/.zinit" && command chmod g-rwX "$HOME/.zinit"
    command git clone https://github.com/zdharma-continuum/zinit "$HOME/.zinit/bin" && \
        print -P "%F{33}▓▒░ %F{34}Installation successful.%f%b" || \
        print -P "%F{160}▓▒░ The clone has failed.%f%b"
fi

source "$HOME/.zinit/bin/zinit.zsh"
autoload -Uz _zinit
(( ${+_comps} )) && _comps[zinit]=_zinit

# Load a few important annexes, without Turbo
# (this is currently required for annexes)
zinit light-mode for \
    zdharma-continuum/z-a-rust \
    zdharma-continuum/z-a-as-monitor \
    zdharma-continuum/z-a-patch-dl \
    zdharma-continuum/z-a-bin-gem-node
### End of Zinit's installer chunk

##########################################################
################### zinit - plugins ######################
##########################################################

setopt promptsubst  # Enable prompt substitution

# oh-my-zsh plugins
zinit wait lucid for \
    OMZP::git \
    OMZP::dotenv \
    OMZP::asdf \
    OMZP::web-search \
    OMZP::nvm

# powerlevel10k - zsh prompt
zinit ice depth"1"  # git clone depth
zinit light romkatv/powerlevel10k
[[ ! -f ${HOME}/.p10k.zsh ]] || source ${HOME}/.p10k.zsh

# third party plugins
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting
zinit light zsh-users/zsh-completions

##########################################################
##########################################################

# Shell - Settings
export EDITOR="nano"
unsetopt autocd  # disable autocd

# Shell - History
HISTFILE=~/.zsh_history
HISTSIZE=100000
SAVEHIST=100000

setopt append_history           # Dont overwrite history
setopt extended_history         # Also record time and duration of commands.
setopt share_history            # Share history between multiple shells
setopt hist_expire_dups_first   # Clear duplicates when trimming internal hist.
setopt hist_find_no_dups        # Dont display duplicates during searches.
setopt hist_ignore_dups         # Ignore consecutive duplicates.
setopt hist_ignore_all_dups     # Remember only one unique copy of the command.
setopt hist_reduce_blanks       # Remove superfluous blanks.
setopt hist_save_no_dups        # Omit older commands in favor of newer ones.
setopt hist_expire_dups_first   # Expire duplicates first when trimming history.
setopt hist_verify              # Don't execute expanded history commands.
setopt inc_append_history       # Add commands to the history file immediately.

# Shell - Search
autoload -U up-line-or-beginning-search
autoload -U down-line-or-beginning-search
zle -N up-line-or-beginning-search
zle -N down-line-or-beginning-search
bindkey "^[[A" up-line-or-beginning-search
bindkey "^[[B" down-line-or-beginning-search
bindkey  "^[[H"   beginning-of-line
bindkey  "^[[F"   end-of-line

# Shell - Autocomplete
autoload -Uz compinit
compinit
zstyle ':completion:*' menu select
zstyle ':completion:*' list-colors ''

# Shell - Aliases
alias c="clear"
alias ls="ls -G -a -F"

autojump

The autojump plugin requires the autojump package to be installed via Homebrew. It's been omitted from this snippet but included on the final ~/.zshrc file in the References page.

brew install autojump

Upon opening a new terminal window, you should see the OhMyZsh prompt with the romkatv/powerlevel10k theme. It will guide you through the setup process.