iTerm2 + Oh My Zsh! + Powerlevel10K best terminal combination for Geeks!

There is a before and after listening to these letters together: ZSH. You may wonder: Why did not I hear about this before? D’oh!

Oh My Zsh - a delightful & open-source framework for Z-Shell

ZSH (Z Shell) it’s a real evolution, modernize terminal things with simple solutions. It can be used on GNU Linux and macOS, but I will teach you how to install and configure it on MacOS.

Why Oh My ZSH is so cool?

Camilo Martinez ・ Mar 4

#productivity #zsh #terminal #tooling

Prerequisites

Homebrew

Brew has his own classification. Inside brew can found the CLI app and utilities. Inside cask are all the applications with Graphical Interface.

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts

brew update
brew upgrade
brew cleanup

Run this command, and follow doctor recommendations:

brew doctor

Permissions

Add permissions to user (or group) under this folders and enclosed items:

sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/opt
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/share

WARNING: Add the next permission just in case your machine is used by only one user.

sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/lib

The Triplets of Belleville

WARNING: I don’t want presume, but iTerm2 + Oh My Zsh! + Powerlevel10K it’s a lethal combination. You will not want to use another terminal later.

brew install --cask iterm2 

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/nobeans/zsh-sdkman.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/sdkman

brew install zsh-history-substring-search
brew install zsh-syntax-highlighting
brew install z
brew install tree
chsh -s /bin/zsh

Close the default terminal and open iTerm2.

Configuration

ZSH configuration file is located under ~/.zshrc. Open with your favorite editor and set:

DEFAULT_USER="$USER"

ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"
POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS=(history)
POWERLEVEL9K_SHORTEN_DIR_LENGTH=1

ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_HIGHLIGHTERS=(main brackets pattern cursor root line)
ZSH_HIGHLIGHT_PATTERNS=('rm -rf *' 'fg=white,bold,bg=red')

plugins=(
  brew
  git
  gradle
  ng
  npm
  yarn
  zsh-autosuggestions
  osx
  sdkman
  history-substring-search
)

alias x="exit"
alias reload="source ~/.zshrc"
alias hc="history -c"
alias hg="history | grep "

#Include Z
if command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  # Load rupa's z if installed
  [ -f $(brew --prefix)/etc/profile.d/z.sh ] && source $(brew --prefix)/etc/profile.d/z.sh
fi

Add all the plugins that you want or need inside plugins=() list, each one in a new line.

Open iTerm2 and after changing the value make sure to update your ~/.zshrc file with sz command alias or running the complete command:

source ~/.zshrc

Fonts

Download and Install Meslo and Nerd Fonts

brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font
brew install --cask font-hack-nerd-font

Change it on iTerm > Preferences > Profiles > Text > Change Font and select MesloLGS NF.

Visual Studio Code

If you want use ZSH as default terminal in Visual Studio Code, add this settings (⌘ + ,):

"terminal.external.osxExec": "iTerm.app",
"terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Meslo LG M for Powerline",
"terminal.integrated.shell.osx": "zsh",

Wizard

On the first run, Powerlevel10k configuration wizard will ask you a few questions and configure your prompt.

If it doesn't trigger automatically, type p10k configure.

Configuration wizard creates ~/.p10k.zsh based on your preferences. Additional prompt customization can be done by editing this file. It has plenty of comments to help you navigate through configuration options.

Terminal (Bash)

macOS default terminal comes with version 3 and not going to update it because the newer version changes his license. Apple does not supply any software under the GPLv3.

Open default terminal and run this command in order to use an updated version:

brew install bash bash-completion

Add this line to ~/.bash_profile file:

alias x="exit"
alias sb="source ~/.bash_profile"
alias hc="history -c"
alias hg="history | grep"

[ -f /usr/local/etc/bash_completion ] && . /usr/local/etc/bash_completion

Open terminal and change Terminal > Preferences > General on Shell open with: select Command (complete path) and set /bin/bash value.

With this configuration, now you can use ZSH on iTerm2 and Bash on default Terminal.

Become a ZSH Ninja!

Highly recommend taking this FREE course made by @WesBoss:

CheatSheet (Key Shortcuts)

The common MacOS modifier keys are:

Command	Control	Option	Shift
⌘	⌃	⌥	⇧

By default, word jumps and word deletions do not work. To enable these, go to iTerm > Preferences > Profiles > Keys > Load Presets… and select Natural Text Editing.

Basic Actions

Shortcut	Function
⌥ + → or ⌥ + ←	Word jumps
⌥ + backspace	Word deletion
⌃ + d	Delete current character
backspace	Delete previous character
⌃ + -	Undo
⌘ + backspace	Entire line deletion
⌘ + k	Clear entire screen

Moving Faster

Function	Shortcut
⌃ + a	Move to the start of line
⌃ + e	Move to the end of line
⌥ + f	Move forward a word
⌥ + b	Move backward a word

Copy and Paste

Function	Shortcut
⌃ + k	Copy from cursor to the end of line
⌥ + d	Copy from cursor to the end of word
⌥ + backspace	Copy from cursor to the start of word
⌃ + w	Copy from cursor to previous whitespace
⌃ + w	Paste the last copied text
⌥ + y	Loop through and paste previously copy text
⌥ + .	Loop through and paste the last argument of previous commands

Tabs & Windows

Function	Shortcut
⌘+ Enter	Fullscreen
⌘+ Left Arrow	Previous Tab
⌘+ Right Arrow	Next Tab
⌘ + Number	Go to Tab
⌘ + ⌥ + Number	Go to Window
⌘ + ⌥ + Arrow	Go to Split Pane by Direction
⌘ + ] or ⌘ + [	Go to Split Pane by Order of Use
⌘ + ⇧ + d	Split Window Horizontally (same profile)
⌘ + d	Split Window Vertically (same profile)
⌥ + ⌘ + ⇧ + h	Split Window Horizontally (new profile)
⌥ + ⌘ + ⇧ + v	Split Window Vertically (new profile)
⌘ + ⇧ + m	Set Mark
⌘ + ⇧ + j	Jump to Mark

Remove “Last login:”

For me, it's unnecessary and annoying the default “Last login:” message in the macOS terminal. Happily, it's easy:

touch ~/.hushlogin

Bonus Track

Setup macOS for Development

Camilo Martinez ・ Sep 26 '18

#productivity #tutorial #beginners #devtips

---

That’s All Folks!
Happy Coding 🖖

Comments

[Gabriel Porras]

The Brew installation chaged. Nos this is the command:

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

[Camilo Martinez]

Fixed. Thanks for reporting the update! 🤘

[Iván Olivares Rojas]

Thanks for this!

if you have a 404 problem to install the fonts, search here the solution: github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask-...

$ brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts         # You only need to do this once!

[gunt]

hi Camilo,

Thank you for this powerful config.

I'm getting this exact same problem as the user suggest here

superuser.com/questions/1061181/it...

I'm not getting the colors theme.

Do you know how to fix it?

Thx.

[Camilo Martinez]

Hi Gunt, I have no idea.

Can you try with powerlevel10k. See comments below.

And run p10k config command. It's like a wizard configuration.

Maybe this can help. Let us know if works.

[gunt]

I try with powerlevel10k, I love it already, but the theme colors are not working. I'm still trying to fix it. I will let you know.

[Roman Perepelitsa]

There is powerlevel10k now. It's 10 times faster than powerlevel9k and backward-compatible with its configs. You can switch theme without changing any of your POWERLEVEL9K options to keep the same prompt you are used to while making it blazingly fast.

First, clone powerlevel10k.

git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git $ZSH_CUSTOM/themes/powerlevel10k

Then set ZSH_THEME=powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k in your ~/.zshrc and restart zsh.

[Camilo Martinez]

Wow I watched the video and it's amazing.
Works like a charm and p10k configure command is the best.

Thanks!

[Gabriel Porras]

Hello,

The initial command: brew tap caskroom/cask is not working anymore.

Thanks for this step by step.

[Camilo Martinez]

You welcome.

I'll fix that. I see on documentation that on new versions don't need to install cask anymore, you just need homebrew.

Thanks!

[Gabriel Porras]

If you can update with PowerLevel10k. It's amazing.

[Camilo Martinez]

I'll add it as a bonus.

I'm using it actually and it's really fast.

[Camilo Martinez]

@gabrielizalo finally was updated to powerlevel10k

[Jef LeCompte]

I know this is an old one now, but take a look at prezto and powerlevel10k. You might like the results!

[Dmitriy Belyaev]

Camilo, thank you so much!

I'd been using iTerm + zsh for a years, but even that I've found out something new for me from your post.

[Camilo Martinez]

Your welcome Dmitriy, do the free course I learned a lot.

[Jashanpreet Singh]

what theme are using for iterm2? what about the syntax highlighting

[Camilo Martinez]

I'm using Powerlevel9k theme: github.com/Powerlevel9k/powerlevel9k

and Syntax Highlight installed with brew:

brew install zsh-syntax-highlighting

[Jashanpreet Singh]

I’m talking about the interm2 color scheme, not the oh-my-zsh, sorry for the confusion

[Camilo Martinez]

No problem, that's my Appearance configuration: