Zsh / Oh-my-zsh on Windows Git Bash

install-zsh-windows-git-bash.md

Steps:

1. Download the latest zsh package: https://packages.msys2.org/package/zsh?repo=msys&variant=x86_64

Example:

zsh-5.7.1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

Update:

The package now is compacted using zstd, so now we need some "special" extractor.
So, in my case, I've downloaded this file
https://repo.msys2.org/msys/x86_64/zsh-5.8-5-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst And extracted it using the Peazip.
https://peazip.github.io/zst-compressed-file-format.html

2. Extract the content to your git bash installation dir:

Usually C:\Program Files\Git

3. Test it and config zsh:

Open git bash and type:

zsh

So, this step is important, it seems zsh will ask a few configurations, like the tab completion, history, etc.
Please read the options and set that according to your use.

4. Installing oh-my-zsh, execute the following cmd on git bash

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

5. Configuring zsh as default shell

Edit the ~/.bashrc file. (create it if it doesn't exist)

Add the following lines at the end of the file

# Launch Zsh
if [ -t 1 ]; then
exec zsh
fi

Close and open again the git bash.

Optional steps

6. Installing the Honukay theme

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oskarkrawczyk/honukai-iterm/master/honukai.zsh-theme -o ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/themes/honukai.zsh-theme

7. Set it

sed -i 's/ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"/ZSH_THEME="honukai"/g' ~/.zshrc

Ok, I have absolutely NO IDEA about this one, but it works. I was checking out this article and saw that in the bottom notes he suggests to place unset LESS; at the end of ~/.zshrc because "on some commands oh-my-zsh runs less command with -R (repaint)". That had me curious, so I tried and I have no more crashes.

Just to be clear, that -R flag actually instructs less to print raw control characters. This MAY be a reason for the crashes, but I don't know anything more than that.

I tried to look for less usages inside oh-my-zsh to no luck (found it inside some plugins, but I haven't enabled any of them). I really have no clue 👀

I noticed an issue with root directory autocompletion when I type for example "/c/use" and hit tab it won't find it, except in git bash I could get the autocompletion correctly and with capitalized folders like "/c/Users"

I personally still have issues with trying to fix the ERROR: this script is obsolete, please see git-completion.zsh that pops up each time I open ZSH.

I've tried all the methods mentioned above by @wl2776 and @michelpfirter

Where exactly in git/etc/zsh should I place those two lines?

local drives=($(mount | command grep --perl-regexp '^\w: on /\w ' | cut --delimiter=' ' --fields=3))
zstyle ':completion:*' fake-files "/:${(j. .)drives//\//}"

UPDATE I was looking at solving slow performance in zsh, and stumbled upon this: adding those 2 lines at the .gitconfig files in the home directory

git config --add oh-my-zsh.hide-status 1
git config --add oh-my-zsh.hide-dirty 1

Not only did it speed up my zsh significantly, it also removed the error somehow, not sure exactly why.

Source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12765344/oh-my-zsh-slow-but-only-for-certain-git-repo

Thanks, it works for me!

The 2 lines of "git config", seems it just hide the error but the error still there. I don't like this.

I added the "local drivers" and "zstyles" lines to /etc/zshprofile located in C:\Program Files\Git\etc\zsh
Then the ERROR messge gone.

I am having an issue in vscode terminal where typing text, then removing it will leave small pixel on the screen like in the picture. Could you please help me fix this issue? Thank you

Same pixel issue for me also

Is any one help with this problem ? zsh on git-bash cant't user "conda activate" and "source activate"，it horrible!

Is any one help with this problem ? zsh on git-bash cant't user "conda activate" and "source activate"，it horrible!

Hi, I think it is not a zsh thing, it is more a git-bash/windows thing.
I remember using conda before on git bash, I think you have to use the conda activate comand instead of source activate.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh/master/tools/install.sh
needs to be updated to:
https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh
(as per the ohmyzsh homepage)

Can you give us a light on how to make spaceship theme to work? I coudln't so far....

I noticed an issue with root directory autocompletion when I type for example "/c/use" and hit tab it won't find it, except in git bash I could get the autocompletion correctly and with capitalized folders like "/c/Users"

I have the same issue. Also it doesn't handle well Windows Path. e.g. when executing gradle wrapper, it complains about invalid java.io.tmpdir
If you try java -XshowSettings:all it shows windows path:
java.io.tmpdir = C:\Users\lione\AppData\Local\Temp\
and I suspect that a missing mintty configuration is needed here...

zsh (or oh-my-zsh, not sure which) freezees if you try resizing the console in Windows Terminal

zsh (or oh-my-zsh, not sure which) freezees if you try resizing the console in Windows Terminal

Where you able to find a fix for this?

zsh (or oh-my-zsh, not sure which) freezees if you try resizing the console in Windows Terminal

Where you able to find a fix for this?

Unfortunately, no, but I also haven't put much time into tracking down the problem.

EDIT seems to have something to do with git_prompt_info
ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh#9953

mine also freezes unfortunately

zsh (or oh-my-zsh, not sure which) freezees if you try resizing the console in Windows Terminal

1. git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

install zsh-autosuggestions plugin

1. git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
2. source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
3. edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
    ...
    zsh-autosuggestions
)

install zsh-syntax-highlighting plugin

1. git clone git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
2. source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
3. edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
    ...
    zsh-syntax-highlighting
)

Cool. I will test that later. Thanks for that.

chenge->

1. git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

I am getting really long start up times of around 4 seconds

➜  ~ time  zsh -i -c exit
zsh -i -c exit  0.78s user 3.21s system 100% cpu 3.957 total

Any idea what could cause this?

Commenting out source $ZSH/oh-my-zsh.sh in my .zshrc works - but that disables oh my zsh

This is my zprof

https://gist.github.com/alshdavid/4e49614df12678c7bc7ba1fdfc3ab4c4

This error is originated in "C:\Program Files\Git\etc\profile.d\git-prompt.sh" That file contains following lines

		if test -f "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-prompt.sh"
		then
			. "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-completion.bash"
			. "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-prompt.sh"
			PS1="$PS1"'\[\033[36m\]'  # change color to cyan
			PS1="$PS1"'`__git_ps1`'   # bash function
		fi

File "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-completion.bash" checks that it is run by zsh, emits error message and exits. I've changed them to the following:

		if test -f "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-prompt.sh"
		then
      		        if [ "x${ZSH_VERSION}" = "x" ]; then
  				. "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-completion.bash"
  			fi
			. "$COMPLETION_PATH/git-prompt.sh"
			PS1="$PS1"'\[\033[36m\]'  # change color to cyan
			PS1="$PS1"'`__git_ps1`'   # bash function
		fi

Bro, this replacing code makes my git to keep on popping (C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\zsh.exe).
I can't even exit the terminal because more git bash keeps on opening.

Thanks! work for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC

thanks! Looks good on Windows 11, good stuff

I noticed an issue with root directory autocompletion when I type for example "/c/use" and hit tab it won't find it, except in git bash I could get the autocompletion correctly and with capitalized folders like "/c/Users"

I ran into this problem also. inspired by @LionH , I founded a way to work around 🥇

#  after cd to c: , you will find you can complete by tab 
cd c:
cd Users/yourxxxPath  

the problem is zsh can't receive the sequences of windows-way. I tried stackoverflow: zsh-tab-completion-not-working and rehash-zsh guide, they didn't helped either.

Putting this in .bashrc breaks anything trying to directly run bash commands.

if [ -t 1 ]; then
    exec zsh
fi

Didn't anyone else run into problems with VS Code because of this? I came looking for a fix but was surprised to see nobody mentioned it. For example VSCode runs npm scripts like "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe '--login', '-i', '-c', 'npm run watch'", which doesn't work anymore.

Try to open cmd and run "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe" --login -i -c "echo hello" and see it opens zsh but never echos anything.

Doing this instead seems to fix it:

# Check for BASH_EXECUTION_STRING to see if bash is being called with -c to execute a command.
if [[ -z "$BASH_EXECUTION_STRING" && -t 1 ]]; then
    exec zsh
fi

any idea what could cause this issue when trying to install oh-my-zsh ?

install zsh-autosuggestions plugin

1. git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
2. source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
3. edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
    ...
    zsh-autosuggestions
)

install zsh-syntax-highlighting plugin

1. git clone git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
2. source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
3. edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
    ...
    zsh-syntax-highlighting
)

Cool. I will test that later. Thanks for that.

Change $ZSH to $ZSH_CUSTOM will be better.

Install Git Bash with ZSH, OH MY ZSH & POWERLEVEL10K | Windows Guide

Thanks to all of you guys i've create a fork of fworks works and your guys' suggestion in the comment.

guys, does anyone know how to remove this? What they write doesn't help. I tried using -f to run the function and it still appears

I've done writting the .bashrc, zsh wont showing up as git bash default theme. Can somebody help me?

I cannot believe that I'm using Zsh on Windows. It works flawlessly. I didn't encounter most of the issues that others faced here except for ERROR: this script is obsolete, please see git-completion.zsh, and using OMZ on Windows is just the icing on cake. Wish somebody would create a Scoop installer to make the installation process easier alongside Git-bash.

This is awesome! Thx everyone.. added starship prompt to mine as well. Took steps here and moved init to .zshrc:
https://gist.github.com/SteveDevOps/b1f901dbc2128a378ff79d73ad3a59cc

Also running zsh in git bash as default shell within Tabby. Great for switching between git bash,
cmd, powershell, etc.

.. working!

entering zsh on git bash was not working.

resolved by adding
alias zsh='/usr/bin/zsh-5.9.exe'
to my .bashrc

@TaekwanMin
i have created a packaged version of the same
please check it out

https://github.com/farseenmanekhan1232/zsh-for-windows/releases/tag/1.0.0