Skip to main content

🖥️ Setting Up Your Zsh Terminal

Introduction​

A modern shell setup with Zsh, Oh My Zsh, and Atuin gives you fast startup, syntax-highlighted prompts, autosuggestions, and a searchable history database. This guide covers every step, plus a workaround if your account is directory-based (and not in /etc/passwd).

1. Install Prerequisites​

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y zsh git curl

2. Install Zsh​

sudo apt-get install -y zsh

Tip: You normally set your shell with chsh -s $(which zsh), but if your user is managed via LDAP/AD (and not listed in /etc/passwd), you can’t use chsh. Skip to Step 8 for a fallback.

3. Install Oh My Zsh​

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
  • This creates ~/.oh-my-zsh/ and a fresh ~/.zshrc.

4. Add Essential Plugins​

# Autosuggestions
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions \
  ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions

# Syntax highlighting
git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git \
  ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

5. Configure ~/.zshrc​

Open ~/.zshrc and adjust:

ZSH_THEME="agnoster"

- plugins=(git)
+ plugins=(
+   git
+   zsh-autosuggestions
+   zsh-syntax-highlighting
+ )

# Optional: speed up prompts
# DISABLE_UPDATE_PROMPT="true"

Reload:

source ~/.zshrc

6. Install Atuin (Shell-History DB)​

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://setup.atuin.sh | sh

Alternatively, via APT:

sudo apt-get install -y atuin

7. Hook Atuin into Zsh​

Add to the end of ~/.zshrc:

eval "$(atuin init zsh)"

Reload again:

source ~/.zshrc

8. Fallback if You Can’t Change Your Login Shell​

If chsh fails because your account lives in an external directory:

  1. Edit your default shell’s startup file—for Bash it’s usually ~/.bash_profile, ~/.profile, or ~/.bashrc.

  2. Add at the very top:

    # Auto-switch to Zsh for interactive sessions
    if [ -t 1 ] && [ -f "$(which zsh)" ]; then
      exec zsh -l
    fi

  3. Save and log out & back in (or start a new terminal).

    • Your login shell remains Bash, but it immediately executes Zsh on each interactive session.
    • All your Oh My Zsh and Atuin config will load as if Zsh were your default.

9. Import & Use Your History​

atuin import auto      # pulls in your old history
  • Press Ctrl + R or run atuin search to fuzzy-find past commands.

Conclusion​

You’re now running:

  • Zsh (even without chsh)
  • Oh My Zsh with autosuggestions & syntax highlighting
  • Atuin for a powerful, searchable history DB

Enjoy your smarter, faster terminal!