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Asherpayn/zsh instructions for claude.md

Created December 27, 2025 23:08
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this is info for claude to rebuild my preferred shell on other systems (macOS Arch Fedora)
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zsh instructions for claude.md

Zsh Configuration Setup Prompt

Use this prompt with Claude Code to recreate my zsh configuration on a new system.

Task

Set up a complete zsh environment with Oh My Zsh, Powerlevel10k theme, and my preferred plugins/utilities. Detect the current OS and use the appropriate package manager.

Target Configuration

  • Shell: zsh with Oh My Zsh framework
  • Theme: Powerlevel10k
  • Plugins: git, zsh-syntax-highlighting, zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-history-substring-search
  • Utilities: fzf, lsd, thefuck, neofetch, yt-dlp, ffmpeg

GitHub Repositories (Verified)

Component Repository
Oh My Zsh https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh
Powerlevel10k https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k
zsh-syntax-highlighting https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting
zsh-autosuggestions https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
zsh-history-substring-search https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search
fzf https://github.com/junegunn/fzf
lsd https://github.com/lsd-rs/lsd
thefuck https://github.com/nvbn/thefuck

Installation Steps by OS

macOS (Homebrew)

# Install dependencies
brew install zsh zsh-syntax-highlighting zsh-autosuggestions zsh-history-substring-search
brew install fzf lsd thefuck neofetch ffmpeg yt-dlp
brew install romkatv/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k

# Install Oh My Zsh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

# Clone Powerlevel10k to Oh My Zsh custom themes
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

# Clone plugins to Oh My Zsh custom plugins
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-history-substring-search

# Set up fzf keybindings
$(brew --prefix)/opt/fzf/install --key-bindings --completion --no-update-rc

Arch Linux (pacman/yay)

# Install from official repos
sudo pacman -S zsh fzf lsd neofetch ffmpeg yt-dlp python-pip

# Install from AUR (using yay)
yay -S --noconfirm zsh-theme-powerlevel10k-git oh-my-zsh-git thefuck

# Alternative: Install thefuck via pip if AUR version has issues
pip install thefuck --user --break-system-packages

# Install Oh My Zsh (if not using AUR package)
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

# Clone plugins to Oh My Zsh custom plugins
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-history-substring-search

# Clone Powerlevel10k (if not using AUR package)
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

Fedora (dnf)

# Install from official repos
sudo dnf install zsh fzf util-linux-user neofetch ffmpeg yt-dlp python3-pip

# Install lsd (Fedora 33+)
sudo dnf install lsd

# Alternative: Install lsd from cargo if not in repos
# cargo install lsd

# Install thefuck via pip
pip install thefuck --user

# Install Oh My Zsh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

# Clone Powerlevel10k
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

# Clone plugins
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-history-substring-search.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-history-substring-search

# Set zsh as default shell
chsh -s $(which zsh)

Zshrc Configuration

Write the following to ~/.zshrc:

# Run neofetch on terminal open
eval neofetch

# Enable Powerlevel10k instant prompt (keep near top)
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_INSTANT_PROMPT=quiet
if [[ -r "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh" ]]; then
  source "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh"
fi

# Oh My Zsh configuration
export ZSH="$HOME/.oh-my-zsh"
ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"

# Oh My Zsh settings
COMPLETION_WAITING_DOTS="true"
ENABLE_CORRECTION="true"
zstyle ':omz:update' mode reminder

# Plugins (loaded via Oh My Zsh)
plugins=(
  git
  zsh-syntax-highlighting
  zsh-autosuggestions
  zsh-history-substring-search
)

source $ZSH/oh-my-zsh.sh

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# ALIASES
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# lsd replacements for ls
alias ls="lsd"
alias lstree='lsd --tree'

# yt-dlp shortcuts
alias bestyt='yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/best[ext=mp4]" --embed-subs --embed-metadata --embed-chapters --embed-thumbnail --merge-output-format mp4'
alias bestaudioyt='yt-dlp -f bestaudio --extract-audio --audio-format flac --add-metadata'

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# FUNCTIONS
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Convert video to MP4 (software encoding - x264)
tomp4() {
  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
    echo "Usage: tomp4 <input> [output]"
    return 1
  fi
  local input="$1"
  local output="${2:-${input%.*}.mp4}"
  ffmpeg -i "$input" -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart "$output"
}

# Extract audio to FLAC
extractaudio() {
  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
    printf 'Usage: extractaudio <input-file> [output-file] [track-index]\n'
    return 1
  fi
  local input="$1"
  local output="${2:-${input%.*}.flac}"
  local track_index="${3:-0}"
  ffmpeg -y -hide_banner -loglevel error -i "$input" -vn -map 0:a:$track_index -c:a flac "$output"
}

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# COMPLETION CONFIGURATION
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

autoload -Uz compinit && compinit

# Colored completions
zstyle ':completion:*' list-colors "${(s.:.)LS_COLORS}"
zstyle ':completion:*' menu select
zstyle ':completion:*' rehash true
zstyle ':completion:*' verbose yes

# Case-insensitive and partial-word completion
zstyle ':completion:*' matcher-list 'm:{a-z}={A-Z}'
zstyle ':completion:*' completer _complete _match _approximate
zstyle ':completion:*' match-original both

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# COLOUR SCHEME (Pastel - optimized for dark backgrounds)
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

export LS_COLORS="di=38;5;147:ln=38;5;213:ex=38;5;156:*.txt=38;5;228:*.md=38;5;225:*.sh=38;5;159:*.py=38;5;218:*.js=38;5;153:*.json=38;5;158:*.yaml=38;5;189:*.yml=38;5;189:*.html=38;5;217:*.css=38;5;159:*.rs=38;5;156:*.go=38;5;153:*.rb=38;5;218:*.java=38;5;228:*.cpp=38;5;147:*.c=38;5;147:*.h=38;5;189:*.zip=38;5;217:*.tar=38;5;217:*.gz=38;5;217:*.mp4=38;5;213:*.mp3=38;5;213:*.png=38;5;225:*.jpg=38;5;225:*.gif=38;5;225:*.pdf=38;5;228:*.db=38;5;159:*.sql=38;5;158:*.log=38;5;245:*.xml=38;5;189:*.csv=38;5;228:*.toml=38;5;189"

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# TOOL INTEGRATIONS
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# fzf integration
source <(fzf --zsh) 2>/dev/null || [ -f ~/.fzf.zsh ] && source ~/.fzf.zsh

# thefuck integration
eval $(thefuck --alias)

# Powerlevel10k configuration
[[ ! -f ~/.p10k.zsh ]] || source ~/.p10k.zsh

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# PATH EXTENSIONS (adjust paths per system)
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

# Add local bin to PATH
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# OS-SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

case "$(uname -s)" in
  Darwin)
    # macOS-specific
    export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"
    
    # Source Homebrew-installed plugins if Oh My Zsh plugins not found
    [[ -f /opt/homebrew/share/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh ]] && \
      source /opt/homebrew/share/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
    [[ -f /opt/homebrew/share/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh ]] && \
      source /opt/homebrew/share/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
    [[ -f $(brew --prefix 2>/dev/null)/share/zsh-history-substring-search/zsh-history-substring-search.zsh ]] && \
      source $(brew --prefix)/share/zsh-history-substring-search/zsh-history-substring-search.zsh
    ;;
  Linux)
    # Linux-specific
    if command -v pacman &> /dev/null; then
      # Arch Linux - source from system paths if installed via pacman
      [[ -f /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh ]] && \
        source /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh
      [[ -f /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh ]] && \
        source /usr/share/zsh/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
      # Powerlevel10k from AUR
      [[ -f /usr/share/zsh-theme-powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme ]] && \
        source /usr/share/zsh-theme-powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme
    fi
    ;;
esac

# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
# KEY BINDINGS (for history-substring-search)
# ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

bindkey '^[[A' history-substring-search-up
bindkey '^[[B' history-substring-search-down

Post-Installation Steps

  1. Run Powerlevel10k configuration wizard:

    p10k configure

    This generates ~/.p10k.zsh with your preferred prompt style.

  2. Install a Nerd Font (required for icons in lsd and Powerlevel10k):

    • Download from: https://www.nerdfonts.com/font-downloads
    • Recommended: MesloLGS NF, FiraCode Nerd Font, or JetBrainsMono Nerd Font
    • macOS: Double-click downloaded .ttf files
    • Linux: Copy to ~/.local/share/fonts/ then run fc-cache -fv

  3. Configure terminal emulator to use the installed Nerd Font.

  4. Restart terminal or run exec zsh to apply changes.

Verification

Run these commands to verify installation:

# Check shell
echo $SHELL

# Check Oh My Zsh
ls ~/.oh-my-zsh

# Check theme
echo $ZSH_THEME

# Check plugins are loaded
zsh -i -c 'echo $plugins'

# Check utilities
command -v lsd fzf thefuck neofetch yt-dlp ffmpeg

Notes

  • The zshrc includes OS detection to source plugins from the correct paths
  • fzf integration uses the new --zsh flag (fzf 0.48+), with fallback for older versions
  • thefuck alias is set to fuck by default
  • History substring search binds to up/down arrow keys
  • Pastel colour scheme is optimized for dark terminal backgrounds
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