Install Zsh

for Debian based distro

sudo apt install zsh

set Zsh as the default shell

sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) ${USER}

Install Zsh-z Plugin

mkdir -p ~/.zsh/plugins/zsh-z

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/agkozak/zsh-z/master/zsh-z.plugin.zsh \
-o ~/.zsh/plugins/zsh-z/zsh-z.plugin.sh

add source ~/.zsh/plugins/zsh-z/zsh-z.plugin.sh to ~/.zshrc

Zsh Config

save in ~/.zshrc, use source ~/.zshrc to apply

# AUTOCOMPLETION

# initialize autocompletion
autoload -Uz compinit && compinit

# history setup
setopt APPEND_HISTORY
setopt SHARE_HISTORY
setopt EXTENDED_HISTORY
setopt HIST_EXPIRE_DUPS_FIRST
HISTFILE=$HOME/.zhistory
SAVEHIST=1000
HISTSIZE=999

# autocompletion using arrow keys
bindkey '^[OA' history-beginning-search-backward
bindkey '^[OB' history-beginning-search-forward

# PLUGINS

source ~/.zsh/plugins/zsh-z/zsh-z.plugin.sh

# Zsh-z plugin options
ZSH_CASE=smart # lower case patterns are treated as case insensitive
zstyle ':completion:*' menu select # improve completion menu style

# USER PROMPT
   
# enable command-subsitution in PS1
setopt PROMPT_SUBST
NL=$'\n'
PS1='$NL%B%F{cyan}%3~%f%b$NL%B%(?.%F{green}.%F{red})%(!.#.$)%f%b'

Autocompletion

check man zshcomsys for compinit

check man zshoptions and man zshparam for history setup

check man zshzle for bindkey, ctrl + v in terminal to find arrow keys’ code, e.g. ^[OA is up arrow and ^[OB is down arrow in wsl2 Ubuntu and ChromeOS Debian; for Mac, it is ^[[A and ^[[B

User Prompt

check man zshmics for prompt

PS1 code

%B (%b), boldface

%F (%f), foreground color

%3~, current working directory, showing trailing 3, replacing $HOME with ~; 0 will show absolute path

$NL, new line, using variable NL=$'\n'

%(?.%F{green}.%F{red}), green if last command is success, red if error

%(!.#.$), # if privilege, $ is non-privilege