ZSH-LOVERS(1)

📦 version 0.11.0, in arch rolling

okay bestie, you found zsh-lovers(1) — tips, tricks and examples for the Z shell, and this is the part where the shell gets main character energy. 💅✨

💖 NAME 💖

zsh-lovers — tips, tricks and examples for the Z shell. literally that’s the name, no cap. 🎀

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

Just read it. ;-)

🌸 OVERVIEW 🌸

Every time we open the zsh manual we’re like… where are the examples? 😭 Where are the simple things from actual shell life? zsh has so many features, but there wasn’t a manpage with examples like procmailex(5) has. That’s literally why we wrote this manpage. 💖

Most of the tricks and one-liners come from the mailing lists zsh-users, zsh-workers, Google, newsgroups, and from us. See section LINKS for the details. 🦋

heads up: this manpage, zsh-lovers(1), is not an official part of the Z shell! It’s just a for-fun manpage ;) For comments, bugreports and feedback, take a quick peek at section BUGS. 💌

🛠️ SHELL-SCRIPTING 🛠️

This section is all about shell-scripting stuff you need all the time. heads up: this is the setup you want — otherwise most examples won’t work. Parse options in shellscripts like a boss. Example taken from ZWS by Adam Chodorowski (http://www.chodorowski.com/projects/zws/):

           parse_options()
           {
               o_port=(-p 9999)
               o_root=(-r WWW)
               o_log=(-d ZWS.log)

               zparseopts -K -- p:=o_port r:=o_root l:=o_log h=o_help
               if [[ $? != 0 || "$o_help" != "" ]]; then
                   echo Usage: $(basename "$0") "[-p PORT] [-r DIRECTORY]"
                   exit 1
               fi

               port=$o_port[2]
               root=$o_root[2]
               log=$o_log[2]

               if [[ $root[1] != '/' ]]; then root="$PWD/$root"; fi
           }
           # now use the function:
           parse_options $*

🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

The available subsections are Aliases, Completion, Unsorted/Misc examples, (Recursive) Globbing - Examples, Modifiers usage, Redirection-Examples, ZMV-Examples and Module-Examples. 👑

💅 ALIASES 💅

suffix aliases have been supported in zsh since version 4.2.0, periodt. Some examples:

           alias -s tex=vim
           alias -s html=w3m
           alias -s org=w3m

Now pressing return-key after entering foobar.tex starts vim with foobar.tex. Calling a html-file runs browser w3m. www.zsh.org and pressing enter starts w3m with argument www.zsh.org. Global aliases can be used anywhere in the command line. Example:

           $ alias -g C='| wc -l'
           $ grep alias ~/.zsh/* C
           443

Here are some more-or-less useful global aliases — you get to decide if they’re useful for you or not, bestie:

           alias -g ...='../..'
           alias -g ....='../../..'
           alias -g .....='../../../..'
           alias -g CA="2>&1 | cat -A"
           alias -g C='| wc -l'
           alias -g D="DISPLAY=:0.0"
           alias -g DN=/dev/null
           alias -g ED="export DISPLAY=:0.0"
           alias -g EG='|& egrep'
           alias -g EH='|& head'
           alias -g EL='|& less'
           alias -g ELS='|& less -S'
           alias -g ETL='|& tail -20'
           alias -g ET='|& tail'
           alias -g F=' | fmt -'
           alias -g G='| egrep'
           alias -g H='| head'
           alias -g HL='|& head -20'
           alias -g Sk="*~(*.bz2|*.gz|*.tgz|*.zip|*.z)"
           alias -g LL="2>&1 | less"
           alias -g L="| less"
           alias -g LS='| less -S'
           alias -g MM='| most'
           alias -g M='| more'
           alias -g NE="2> /dev/null"
           alias -g NS='| sort -n'
           alias -g NUL="> /dev/null 2>&1"
           alias -g PIPE='|'
           alias -g R=' > /c/aaa/tee.txt '
           alias -g RNS='| sort -nr'
           alias -g S='| sort'
           alias -g TL='| tail -20'
           alias -g T='| tail'
           alias -g US='| sort -u'
           alias -g VM=/var/log/messages
           alias -g X0G='| xargs -0 egrep'
           alias -g X0='| xargs -0'
           alias -g XG='| xargs egrep'
           alias -g X='| xargs'

🧚 COMPLETION 🧚

See also man 1 zshcompctl zshcompsys zshcompwid. zshcompctl is the old style of zsh programmable completion, zshcompsys is the new completion system, zshcompwid are the zsh completion widgets. 🧚

Some functions, like _apt and _dpkg, are super slow. You can use a cache to proxy the list of results (like the list of available debian packages). Use a cache:

           zstyle ':completion:*' use-cache on
           zstyle ':completion:*' cache-path ~/.zsh/cache

Keep CVS files/directories from being completed:

           zstyle ':completion:*:(all-|)files' ignored-patterns '(|*/)CVS'
           zstyle ':completion:*:cd:*' ignored-patterns '(*/)#CVS'

Fuzzy matching of completions for when you mistype them:

           zstyle ':completion:*' completer _complete _match _approximate
           zstyle ':completion:*:match:*' original only
           zstyle ':completion:*:approximate:*' max-errors 1 numeric

And if you want the number of errors allowed by _approximate to increase with the length of what you have typed so far:

           zstyle -e ':completion:*:approximate:*' \
                   max-errors 'reply=($((($#PREFIX+$#SUFFIX)/3))numeric)'

Ignore completion functions for commands you don’t have:

           zstyle ':completion:*:functions' ignored-patterns '_*'

With helper functions like:

           xdvi() { command xdvi ${*:-*.dvi(om[1])} }

you can avoid having to complete at all in many cases, but if you do complete, you might want to fall into menu selection immediately and have the words sorted by time:

           zstyle ':completion:*:*:xdvi:*' menu yes select
           zstyle ':completion:*:*:xdvi:*' file-sort time

Completing process IDs with menu selection:

           zstyle ':completion:*:*:kill:*' menu yes select
           zstyle ':completion:*:kill:*'   force-list always

If you end up using a directory as argument, this will remove the trailing slash (useful in ln):

           zstyle ':completion:*' squeeze-slashes true

cd will never select the parent directory (e.g.: cd ../<TAB>):

           zstyle ':completion:*:cd:*' ignore-parents parent pwd

Another method for quick change directories. Add this to your ~/.zshrc, then just enter cd ..../dir:

           rationalise-dot() {
             if [[ $LBUFFER = *.. ]]; then
               LBUFFER+=/..
             else
               LBUFFER+=.
             fi
           }
           zle -N rationalise-dot
           bindkey . rationalise-dot

🍓 UNSORTED/MISC examples 🍓

Hint: a list of valid glob Qualifiers can be found in zshexpn(1). See man 1 zshexpn | less -p Qualifiers for details.

           # Get the names of all files that *don't* match a pattern *anywhere* on the
           # file (and without ``-L'' because its GNUish)
             $ print -rl -- *(.^e{'grep -q pattern $REPLY'})
             # or
             $ : *(.e{'grep -q pattern $REPLY || print -r -- $REPLY'})

           # random numbers
             $ echo $[${RANDOM}%1000]     # random between 0-999
             $ echo $[${RANDOM}%11+10]    # random between 10-20
             $ echo ${(l:3::0:)${RANDOM}} # N digits long (3 digits)

           # reverse a word
             $ echo "${(j::)${(@Oa)${(s::):-hello}}}"

           # Show newest directory
             $ ls -ld *(/om[1])

           # random array element
             $ FILES=( .../files/* )
             $ feh $FILES[$RANDOM%$#FILES+1]

           # cat first line in all files in this dir
             $ for file (*(ND-.)) IFS= read -re < $file

           # test if a parameter is numeric
             $ if [[ $1 == <-> ]] ; then
                    echo numeric
               else
                    echo non-numeric
               fi

           # Show me all the .c files for which there doesn't exist a .o file.
             $ print *.c(e_'[[ ! -e $REPLY:r.o ]]'_)

           # All files in /var/ that are not owned by root
             $ ls -ld /var/*(^u:root)

           # All files for which the owner hat read and execute permissions
             $ echo *(f:u+rx:)

           # The same, but also others don't have execute permissions
             $ echo *(f:u+rx,o-x:)

           # brace expansion - example
             $ X=(A B C)
             $ Y=(+ -)
             $ print -r -- $^X.$^Y
             A.+ A.- B.+ B.- C.+ C.-

           # Fetch the newest file containing the string 'fgractg*.log' in the
           # filename and contains the string 'ORA-' in it
             $ file=(fgractg*.log(Nm0om[1]))
             $ (($#file)) && grep -l ORA- $file
             # without Zsh
             $ files=$( find . -name . -o -prune -name 'fgractg*>log' -mtime 0 -print )
             > if [ -n "$files" ]; then
             >    IFS='
             > '
             > set -f
             > file=$(ls -td $files | head -1)
             > grep -l ORA- "$file"
             > fi

           # keep specified number of child processes running until entire task finished
             $ zsh -c 'sleep 1 & sleep 3 & sleep 2& print -rl -- $jobtexts'

           # Remove zero length and .bak files in a directory
             $ rm -i *(.L0) *.bak(.)

           # print out files that don't have extensions
             $ printf '%s\n' ^?*.*
             $ printf '%s\n' ^?*.[^.]*(D)
             $ ls -d -- ^?*.*(D)

           # Finding files which does not contain a specific string
             $ print -rl file* | comm -2 -3 - <(grep -l string file*)'
             $ for f (file*(N)) grep -q string $f || print -r $f'

           # Show/Check whether a option is set or not. It works both with $options as
           # with $builtins
             $ echo $options[correct]
             off
             $ $options[zle]
             on

           # Count the number of directories on the stack
             $ print $((${${(z)${(f)"$(dirs -v)"}[-1]}[1]} + 1)) # or
             $ dirs -v | awk '{n=$1}END{print n+1}'

           # Matching all files which do not have a dot in filename
             $ ls *~*.*(.)

           # Show only the ip-address from ``ifconfig device''
             # ifconfig from net-tools (Linux)
             $ print ${${$(LC_ALL=C /sbin/ifconfig eth0)[7]}:gs/addr://}
             # ifconfig from 4.2BSD {Free,Net,Open}BSD
             $ print ${$(/sbin/ifconfig tun0)[6]}

           # Ping all the IP addresses in a couple of class C's or all hosts
           # into /etc/hosts
             $ for i in {1..254}; do ping -c 1 192.168.13.$i; done
             or
             $ I=1
             $ while ( [[ $I -le 255 ]] ) ; do ping -1 2 150.150.150.$I; let I++; done
             or
             $ for i in $(sed 's/#.*//' > /etc/hosts | awk '{print $2}')
             : do
             :    echo "Trying $i ... "
             :    ping -c 1 $i ;
             :    echo '============================='
             : done

           # load all available modules at startup
             $ typeset -U m
             $ m=()
             $ for md ($module_path) m=($m $md/**/*(*e:'REPLY=${REPLY#$md/}'::r))
             $ zmodload -i $m

           # Rename all files within a directory such that their names get a numeral
           # prefix in the default sort order.
             $ i=1; for j in *; do mv $j $i.$j; ((i++)); done
             $ i=1; for f in *; do mv $f $(echo $i | \
               awk '{ printf("%03d", $0)}').$f; ((i++)); done
             $ integer i=0; for f in *; do mv $f $[i+=1].$f; done

           # Find (and print) all symbolic links without a target within the current
           # dirtree.
             $ $ file **/*(D@) | fgrep broken
             $ for i in **/*(D@); [[ -f $i || -d $i ]] || echo $i
             $ echo **/*(@-^./=%p)
             $ print -l **/*(-@)

okay bestie we are still deep in the example zone and there is so much here — think copy-paste buffet, but make it fashion. The code stays exactly as it is, because the whole point is that you can grab it and go. 💅

# List all plain files that do not have extensions listed in `fignore'
$ ls **/*~*(${~${(j/|/)fignore}})(.)
# see above, but now omit executables
$ ls **/*~*(${~${(j/|/)fignore}})(.^*)

# Print out files that don't have extensions (require *setopt extendedglob*
# and *setopt dotglob*)
$ printf '%s\n' ^?*.*

# List files in reverse order sorted by name
$ print -rl -- *(On)
or
$ print -rl -- *(^on)

# Synonymic to ``ps ax | awk '{print $1}'''
$ print -l /proc/*/cwd(:h:t:s/self//)

# Get the PID of a process (without ``ps'', ``sed'', ``pgrep'', ..
# (under Linux)
$ pid2 () {
>   local i
>   for i in /proc/<->/stat
> do
>   [[ "$(< $i)" = *\((${(j:|:)~@})\)* ]] && echo $i:h:t
> done
> }

# for X in 'n' 'o' 'p' 'q' 'r' 's' 't' 'u' 'v' 'w' 'x' 'y'; do ...
$ for (( i = 36#n; i <= 36#y; i++ )); do
>   print ${$(([##36]i)):l}
> done
# or in combination with ``dc''
$ print {$((##n))..$((##y))}P\ 10P | dc
# or with ``eval''
$ eval print '${$(([##36]'{$((36#n))..$((36#y))}')):l}'

# foreach in one line of shell
$ for f (*) print -r -- $f

# copy a directory recursively without data/files
$ dirs=(**/*(/))
$ cd -- $dest_root
$ mkdir -p -- $dirs
# or without zsh
$ find . -type d -exec env d="$dest_root" \
  sh -c ' exec mkdir -p -- "$d/$1"' '{}' '{}' \;

# If `foo=23'', then print with 10 digit with leading '0'.
$ foo=23
$ print ${(r:10::0:)foo}

# find the name of all the files in their home directory that have
# 20 or more characters in their file names
print -rl $HOME/${(l:20::?:)~:-}*

# Save arrays
$ print -r -- ${(qq)m} > $nameoffile      # save it
$ eval "m=($(cat -- $nameoffile)"            # or use
$ m=("${(@Q)${(z)"$(cat -- $nameoffile)"}}") # to restore it

# get a "ls -l" on all the files in the tree that are younger than a
# specified age (e.g "ls -l" all the files in the tree that where
# modified in the last 2 days)
$ ls -tld **/*(m-2)
# This will give you a listing 1 file perl line (not à la ls -R).
# Think of an easy way to have a "ls -R" style output with
# only files newer than 2 day old.
$ for d (. ./**/*(/)) {
>   print -r -- $'\n'${d}:
>   cd $d && {
>       l=(*(Nm-2))
>       (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
>       cd ~-
>   }
> }
# If you also want directories to be included even if their mtime
# is more than 2 days old:
$ for d (. ./**/*(/)) {
>   print -r -- $'\n'${d}:
>   cd $d && {
>      l=(*(N/,m-2))
>      (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
>      cd ~-
>   }
> }
# And if you want only the directories with mtime < 2 days to be listed:
$ for d (. ./**/*(N/m-2)) {
>   print -r -- $'\n'${d}:
>   cd $d && {
>      l=(*(Nm-2))
>      (($#l)) && ls -ltd -- $l
>      cd ~-
>   }
> }

# print 42 ``-''
$ echo ${(l:42::-:)}
# or use ``$COLUMS''
$ echo ${(l:$COLUMNS::-:)}
# and now with colors (require autoload colors ;colors)
$ echo "$bg[red]$fg[black]${(l:42::-:)}"

# Redirect STDERR to a command like xless without redirecting STDOUT as well.
$ foo 2>>(xless)
# but this executes the command asynchronously. To do it synchronously:
$ { { foo 1>&3 } 2>&1 | xless } 3>&1

# Rename all MP3-Files from name with spaces.mp3 to Name With Spaces.mp3
$ for i in *.mp3; do
>     mv $i ${${(C)i}:s/Mp3/mp3/}
> done

# Match file names containing only digits and ending with .xml (require
# *setopt kshglob*)
$ ls -l [0-9]##.xml
$ ls -l <0->.xml

# Remove all "non txt" files
$ rm ./^*.txt

# Move 200 files from a directory into another
$ mv -- *([1,200]) /another/Dir

# Convert images (foo.gif => foo.png):
$ for i in **/*.gif; convert $i $i:r.png

# convert a collection of mp3 files to wave or cdr,
# e.g. file.wav -> file.mp3)
$ for i (./*.mp3){mpg321 --w - $i > ${i:r}.wav}

# Download with LaTeX2HTML  created Files (for example the ZSH-Guide):
$ for f in https://zsh.sourceforge.io/Guide/zshguide{,{01..08}}.html; do
>     lynx -source $f >${f:t}
> done

# Move all files in dir1 and dir2 that have line counts greater than 10 to
# another directory say "/more10"
$ mv dir[12]/**/*.cr(-.e{'((`wc -l < $REPLY` > 10))'}) /more10

# Make with dpkg a master-list of everyfile that it has installed
$ diff <(find / | sort) <(cat /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.list | sort)

# Replace this fucking Escape-Sequences:
$ autoload colors ; colors
$ print "$bg[cyan]$fg[blue]You are a idiot" >> /dev/pts/3

# Get ASCII value of a character
$ char=N ; print $((#char))

# Filename "Erweiterung"
# Note: The (N) says to use the nullglob option for this particular
# glob pattern.
$ for i in *.o(N); do
>     rm $i
> done

# Rename files; i. e. FOO to foo and bar to BAR
$ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:l} # `FOO' to `foo'
$ for i in *(.); mv $i ${i:u} # `bar to `BAR'

# Show all suid-files in $PATH
$ ls -latg ${(s.:.)PATH} | grep '^...s'
# or more complex ;)
$ print -l ${^path}/*(Ns,S)
# or show only executables with a user given pattern
$ print -l ${^path}/*vim*(*N)

# gzip files when containing a certain string
$ gzip ${(ps:\0:)"$(grep -lZ foobar ./*.txt(.))"}

# A small  one-liner, that reads from stdin and prints to stdout the first
# unique line i. e. does not print lines that have been printed before
# (this is similar to the unique command, but unique can only handle
# adjacent lines).
$ IFS=$'\n\n'; print -rl -- ${(Oau)${(Oa)$(cat file;echo .)[1,-2]}}

# Lists every executable in PATH
$ print -l ${^path}/*(-*N)

# Match all .c files in all subdirectories, _except_ any SCCS subdirectories?
$ ls **/*.c~(*/)#SCCS/*

# List all `README' - files case-insensitive with max. one typo
$ ls **/*(#ia2)readme

# case insensitive checking for variables
$ if [[ $OSTYPE == (#i)LINUX*(#I) ]]; then
>    echo "Penguin on board."
> else
>    echo "Not a Linux."
> fi

okay next up is the recursive-globbing subsection, because zsh really said “what if globbing, but ✨deeper✨.” 💅

🌀 (Recursive) Globbing - Examples

A list of valid glob qualifiers can be found in zshexpn(1). And note the iconic fact: **/ is equivalent to (*/)#! For example:

$ print (*/)#zsh_us.ps
zsh-4.2.3/Doc/zsh_us.ps
$ print **/zsh_us.ps
zsh-4.2.3/Doc/zsh_us.ps

# Search for `README' in all Subdirectories
$ ls -l **/README

# find directories that contain both "index.php" and "index.html", or in
# general, directories that contain more than one file matching "index.*"
$ ls **/*(D/e:'[[ -e $REPLY/index.php && -e $REPLY/index.html ]]':)
# or
$ ls **/*(D/e:'l=($REPLY/index.*(N)); (( $#l >= 2 ))':)

# Find command to search for directory name instead of basename
$ print -rl /**/*~^*/path(|/*)
# or - without Zsh
$ find / | grep -e /path/ -e '/path$'

# Print he path of the directories holding the ten biggest C regular files
# in the current directory and subdirectories.
$ print -rl -- **/*.c(D.OL[1,10]:h) | sort -u

# Find files with size == 0 and send a mail
$ files=(**/*(ND.L0m+0m-2))
> (( $#files > 0 )) && print -rl -- $files | \
  mailx -s "empty files" foo@bar.tdl

# recursive chmod
$ chmod 700 **/(.) # Only files
$ chmod 700 **/(/) # Only directories

# print out all of the files in that directory in 2 columns
$ print -rC2 -- ${1:[...]}/*(D:t)
#            ^- number ob columns
# or - if you feel concerned about special characters - use
$ list=(${1:[...]}/*(ND:t))
$ (($#list)) && print -rC2 -- ${(V)list}

# Search all files in /home/*/*-mail/ with a setting ``chmod -s'' flag
# (recursive, include  dotfiles) remove the setgid/setuid flag and print
# a message
$ chmod -s /home/*/*-mail(DNs,S) /home/*/*-mail/**/*(DNs,S))
# or with a small script
$ for file (/home/*/*-mail(DNs,S) /home/*/*-mail/**/*(DNs,S)) {
>    print -r -- $file
>    chmod -s $file && print -r fixed $file
> }
# or use ``zargs'' (require autoload zargs) prevent the arg list too
# long error
$ zargs /home/*/*-mail(DNs,S) /home/*/*-mail/**/*(DNs,S)) -- chmod -s

# List files beginning at `foo23' upwards (foo23, foo24, foo25, ..)
$ ls -l foo<23->

# get all files that begin with the date strings from June 4 through
# June 9 of 2004
$ ls -l 200406{04..10}*(N)
# or if they are of the form 200406XX (require ``setopt extended_glob''
$ ls -l 200306<4-10>.*

# remove spaces from filenames
$ for a in ./**/*\ *(Dod); do mv $a ${a:h}/${a:t:gs/ /_}; done

# Show only all *.c and *.h - Files
$ ls -l *.(c|h)

# Show only all *.c - files and ignore `foo.c'
$ ls *.c~foo.c

# show data to *really* binary format
$ zsh -ec 'while {} {printf %.8x $n;repeat 8 \
> {read -ku0 a printf \ %.8d $(([##2]#a))};print;((n+=8))}' < binary

# Show only world-readable files
$ ls -l *(R)

# List files in the current directory are not writable by the owner
$ print -l ~/*(ND.^w)

okay so we're still deep in the examples and this next batch is literally the "hunt down files by age and delete them" era 💀 — genuinely one of the most useful things zsh does, and it's giving main character energy the whole way through.

# find and delete the files which are older than a given parameter
# (seconds/minutes/hours)
  # deletes all regular file in /Dir that are older than 3 hours
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(.mh+3)
  # deletes all symlinks in /Dir that are older than 3 minutes
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(@mm+3)
  # deletes all non dirs in /Dir that are older than 30 seconds
   $ rm -f /Dir/**/*(ms+30^/)
  # deletes all folders, sub-folders and files older than one hour
   $ rm ./**/*(.Dmh+1,.DL0)
  # deletes all files more than 6 hours old
   $ rm -f **/*(mh+6)
  # removes all files but the ten newer ones (delete all but last 10
  # files in a directory)
   $ rm ./*(Om[1,-11])
 Note: If you get a arg list too long, you use the builtin rm. For
       example:
   $ zmodload zsh/files ; rm -f **/*(mh+6)
  or use the zargs function:
   $ autoload zargs ; zargs **/*(mh+6) -- rm -f

the little note at the bottom of that block is highkey important bestie — if you ever hit arg list too long, that's your escape hatch 🫶

# A User's Guide to the Z-Shell /5.9: Filename Generation and Pattern
# Matching find all files in all subdirectories, searching recursively,
# which have a given name, case insensitive, are at least 50 KB large,
# no more than a week old and owned by the root user, and allowing up
# to a single error in the spelling of the name. In fact, the required
# expression looks like this:
  $ ls **/(#ia1)name(LK+50mw-1u0)

like?? one line. ONE. LINE. and it's doing all of that. obsessed 😭✨

# Change the UID from 102 to 666
  $ chown 666 **/*(u102)

# List all files which have not been updated since last 10 hours
  $ print -rl -- *(Dmh+10^/)

# delete only the oldest file in a directory
  $ rm ./*filename*(Om[1])

# Sort the output from `ls -l' by file size
  $ ls -fld *(OL)

# find most recent file in a directory
  $ setopt dotglob ; print directory/**/*(om[1])

# Show only empty files which nor `group' or `world writable'
  $ ls *(L0f.go-w.)

# Find - and list - the ten newest files in directories and subdirs.
# (recursive)
  $ print -rl -- **/*(Dom[1,10])

# Print only 5 lines by "ls" command (like ``ls -laS | head -n 5'').
  $ ls -fl *(DOL[1,5])

# Display the 5-10 last modified files.
  $ print -rl -- /path/to/dir/**/*(D.om[5,10])

# Find all files without a valid owner.
  $ chmod someuser /**/*(D^u:${(j.:u:.)${(f)"$(</etc/passwd)"}%%:*}:)

# Find all the empty directories in a tree.
  $ for f in ***/*(/l2); do foo=($f/*(N)); [[ -z $foo ]] && print $f; done
# Note:Since Zsh 4.2.1 the glob qualifier F indicates a non-empty directory.
# Hence *(F) indicates all subdirectories with entries, *(/^F) means all
# subdirectories with no entries.
  $ ls -ld *(/^F)

# Remove empty directories afterwards.
  $ rmdir ./**/*(/od) 2> /dev/null

# Show only files which are owned by group `users'.
  $ ls -l *(G[users])

that for f in ***/*(/l2) one is so real — and thank u to the note for the F qualifier lore, periodt 💅

🎀 Modifiers usage 🎀

okay so modifiers?? genuinely iconic mechanism. they let you modify the results that come back from parameter expansion, filename expansion and history expansion 🌸. and if you want the whole deep dive, zshexpn(1) has the receipts, no cap.

# NOTE: Zsh 4.3.4 needed!
  $ autoload -U age
# files modified today
  $ print *(e:age today now:)
# files modified since 5 pm
  $ print *(e-age 17:00 now-)
# ... since 5 o'clock yesterda
  $ print *(e-age yesterday,17:00 now-)
# ... from last Christmas before today
  $ print *(e-age 2006/12/25 today-)
# ... before yesterday
  $ print *(e-age 1970/01/01 yesterday-)
# all files modified between the start of those dates
  $ print *(e:age 2006/10/04 2006/10/09:)
# all files modified on that date
  $ print *(e:age 2006/10/04:)
# Supply times.
  $ print *(e-age 2006/10/04:10:15 2006/10/04:10:45-)

the autoload -U age at the top is not optional, bestie — that's the whole reason those lines work 💖

# Remove a trailing pathname component, leaving the head. This works like
# `dirname'.
  $ echo =ls(:h)
  /bin

# Remove all leading pathname components, leaving the tail. This works
# like `basename'.
  $ echo =ls(:t)
  ls

# Remove the suffix from each file (*.sh in this example)
   $f:e is $f file extension
   :h --> head (dirname)
   :t --> tail (basename)
   :r --> rest (extension removed)
  $ for f (*.sh) mv $f $f:r

# Remove a filename extension of the form `.xxx', leaving the root name.
  $ echo $PWD
  /usr/src/linux
  $ echo $PWD:t
  linux

# Remove all but the extension.
  $ foo=23.42
  $ echo $foo
  23.42
  $ echo $foo:e
  42

# Print the new command but do not execute it. Only works with history
# expansion.
  $ echo =ls(:h)
  /bin
  $ !echo:p
  $ echo =ls(:h)

# Quote the substituted words, escaping further substitutions.
  $ bar="23'42"
  $ echo $bar
  23'42
  $ echo $bar:q
  23\'42

# Convert the words to all lowercase.
  $ bar=FOOBAR
  $ echo $bar
  FOOBAR
  $ echo $bar:l
  foobar

# Convert the words to all uppercase.
  $ bar=foobar
  $ echo $bar
  foobar
  $ echo $bar:u
  FOOBAR

# convert 1st char of a word to uppercase
  $ foo="one two three four"
  $ print -r -- "${(C)foo}"
  One Two Three Four

:h :t :r :e — the little quartet that lowkey replaces half of coreutils ✨ and :q and :p are just sitting there being useful too 🦋

💅 Redirection-Examples 💅

for the full lore, go read zshmisc(1) — or, y'know, less ${^fpath}/zmv(N) if that's your vibe 🎀

# Append `exit 1' at the end of all *.sh - files
  $ echo "exit 1" >> *.sh

# adding files to foobar.tar.gz
  $ eval set =(gunzip < foobar.tar.gz) '
     tar rf $1 additional.txt &&gzip < $1 > foobar.tar.gz'

# Redirect output to a file AND display on screen
  $ foobar >&1 > file1 > file2 > ..

# pipe single output to multiple inputs
  $ zcat foobar.Z >> (gzip -9 > file1.gz) \
      >> (bzip2 -9 > file1.bz2) \
      >> (acb --best > file1.acb)

# Append /etc/services at the end of file `foo' and `bar'
  $ cat /etc/services >> foo >> bar

# Pipe STDERR
  $ echo An error >&2 2>&1 | sed -e 's/A/I/'

one output → many places, that's the multios dream fr fr 💫

# send standard output of one process to standard input of several processes
# in the pipeline
  $ setopt multios
  $ process1 > >(process1) > >(process2)

# initializing a variable and simultaneously keeping terminal output
  $ setopt multios
  $ { a=$(command >&1 >& 3 3 > &- 2>&1);} 3>&1

# redirect stderr two times
  $ setopt multios ; program 2> file2 > file1 2>&1

# Duplicating stdout and stderr to a logfile
  $ exec 3>&1 > logfile 2>&2 2>&1 >&3 3>&-

okay the exec 3>&1 > logfile 2>&2 2>&1 >&3 3>&- line is giving final boss of file descriptors 😭 do NOT try to read it out loud, just trust it

# redirect stderr (only) to a file and to orig. stderr:
  $ command 2>&2 2>stderr
# redirect stderr and stdout to separate files and both to orig. stdout:
  $ command 2>&1 1>&1 2>stderr 1>stdout
# redirect stderr and stdout to separate files and stdout to orig. stdout
# AND stderr to orig. stderr:
  $ command 2>&2 1>&1 2>stderr 1>stdout

those three are the "how many copies of each stream do you want" trilogy and honestly same 🫶

# More fun with STDERR ;)
  $ ./my-script.sh 2> >(grep -v moron >error.log)|process-output >output.log
  $  echo "Thats STDOUT" >>(sed 's/stdout/another example/' > foobar)

not the ; ) in the comment 💀 anyway, stderr getting its own whole personality here.

🌈 ZMV-Examples (require autoload zmv) 🌈

Note: -n means no execution (just print what would happen). At

(literally do use -n first, bestie — it's the dry-run bestie and it will save you 💀)

# Remove illegal characters in a fat32 file system. Illegal characters are
#   / :  ;  *  ?  "  <  >  |
# NOTE: ``-Q'' and (D) is to include hidden files.
  $ unwanted='[:;*?\"<>|]'
  $ zmv -Q "(**/)(*$~unwanted*)(D)" '$1${2//$~unwanted/}'

# Changing part of a filename (i. e. "file-hell.name" -> "file-heaven.name")
  $ zmv '(*)hell(*)' '${1}heaven${2}'
  # or
  $ zmv '*' '$f:s/hell/heaven/'

# remove round bracket within filenames
# i. e. foo-(bar).avi -> foo-bar.avi
  $ zmv '*' '${f//[()]/}'

# serially all files (foo.foo > 1.foo, fnord.foo > 2.foo, ..)
  $ autoload zmv
  $ ls *
  1.c  asd.foo  bla.foo  fnord.foo  foo.fnord  foo.foo
  $ c=1 zmv '*.foo' '$((c++)).foo'
  $ ls *
  1.c  1.foo  2.foo  3.foo  4.foo  foo.fnord

numbering files with a counter inside zmv?? yeah that's the flex 💅

# Rename "file.with.many.dots.txt" by substituting dots (except for the last
# one!) with a space
  $ touch {1..20}-file.with.many.dots.txt
  $ zmv '(*.*)(.*)' '${1//./ }$2'

# Remove the first 4 chars from a filename
  $ zmv -n '*' '$f[5,-1]' # NOTE: The "5" is NOT a mistake in writing!

ok the note in that one is real — 5 is genuinely not a typo, don't come for it 🙈

# Rename names of all files under the current Dir to lower case, but keep
# dirnames as-is.
  $ zmv -Qv '(**/)(*)(.D)' '$1${(L)2}'

# replace all 4th character, which is "1",  with "2" and so on
  $ autoload -U zmv
  $ zmv '(???)1(???[1-4].txt)' '${1}2${2}'

# Remove the first 15 characters from a string
  $ touch 111111111111111{a-z}
  $ autoload zmv
  $ zmv '*' '$f[16,-1]'

# Replace spaces (any number of them) with a single dash in file names
  $ autload zmv
  $ zmv -n '(**/)(* *)' '$1${2//( #-## #| ##)/-}'
  # or - with Bash
  $ find . -depth -name '* *' -exec bash -c '
  > shopt -s extglob
  > file=$1
  > dir=${file%/*}
  > name=${file##*/}
  > newname=${name//*([ -]) *([ -])/-}
  > mv -i -- "$file" "$Dir/$newname"' {} {} \;

yeah the autload typo is in there, and yes $Dir has a capital D — i'm not touching it, it's part of the lore now 😭

# Clean up file names and remove special characters
  $ autoload zmv
  $ zmv -n '(**/)(*)' '$1${2//[^A-Za-z0-9._]/_}'

# Add *.py to a bunch of python scripts in a directory (some of them end
# in *.py and give them all a proper extension
  $ autoload zmv
  $ zmv -n '(**/)(con*)(#qe,file $REPLY | grep "python script",)' '$1$2.py'

# lowercase all extensions (i. e. *.JPG) incl. subfolders
  $ autoload zmv
  $ zmv '(**/)(*).(#i)jpg' '$1$2.jpg'
  # Or - without Zsh
  $ find Dir -name '*.[jJ][pP][gG]' -print | while read f
  > do
  >      case $f in
  >       *.jpg) ;
  >       *) mv "$f" "${f%.*}.jpg" ;
  >       esac
  > done

# remove leading zeros from file extension
  $ autoload zmv
  $ ls
  filename.001  filename.003  filename.005  filename.007  filename.009
  filename.002  filename.004  filename.006  filename.008  filename.010
  $ zmv '(filename.)0##(?*)' '$1$2'
  $ ls
  filename.1  filename.10  filename.2  filename.3  filename.4  filename.5 ..

the before/after on that last one?? chef's kiss 🍓 the zeros literally got evicted.

renumber files.

$ autoload zmv $ ls * foo_10.jpg foo_2.jpg foo_3.jpg foo_4.jpg foo_5.jpg foo_6.jpg .. $ zmv -fQ 'foo_(<0->).jpg(.nOn)' 'foo_$(($1 + 1)).jpg' $ ls * foo_10.jpg foo_11.jpg foo_3.jpg foo_4.jpg foo_5.jpg ...

adding leading zeros to a filename (1.jpg -> 001.jpg, ..

$ autoload zmv $ zmv '(<1->).jpg' '${(l:3::0:)1}.jpg'

See above, but now only files with a filename >= 30 chars

$ autoload zmv $ c=1 zmv "${(l:30-4::?:)}*.foo" '$((c++)).foo'

Replace spaces in filenames with a underline

$ autoload zmv $ zmv '* *' '$f:gs/ /_'

Change the suffix from .sh to .pl

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -W '.sh' '.pl'

Add a "".txt" extension to all the files within ${HOME}

``-.'' is to only rename regular files or symlinks to regular files,

``D'' is to also rename hidden files (dotfiles))

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -Q '/home//(D-.)' '$f.txt' # Or to only rename files that don't have an extension: $ zmv -Q '/home//^?.*(D-.)' '$f.txt'

Recursively change filenames with characters ? [ ] / = + < > ; : " , - *

$ autoload zmv $ chars='[][?=+<>;",-]' $ zmv '(*/)(*)' '$1${2//$~chars/%}'

Removing single quote from filenames (recursively)

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -Q "(*/)('*)(D)" "\$1\${2//'/}"

When a new file arrives (named file.txt) rename all files in order to

get (e. g. file119.txt becomes file120.txt, file118.txt becomes

file119.txt and so on ending with file.txt becoming file1.txt

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -fQ 'file([0-9]##).txt(On)' 'file$(($1 + 1)).txt'

lowercase/uppercase all files/directories

$ autoload zmv $ zmv '()' '${(L)1}' # lowercase $ zmv '()' '${(U)1}' # uppercase

Remove the suffix *.c from all C-Files

$ autoload zmv $ zmv '(*).c' '$1'

Uppercase only the first letter of all *.mp3 - files

$ autoload zmv $ zmv '([a-z])(*).mp3' '${(C)1}$2.mp3'

Copy the target `README' in same directory as each` Makefile'

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -C '(**/)Makefile' '${1}README'

Removing single quote from filenames (recursively)

$ autoload zmv $ zmv -Q "(*/)('*)(D)" "\$1\${2//'/}"

Rename pic1.jpg, pic2.jpg, .. to pic0001.jpg, pic0002.jpg, ..

$ autoload zmv $ zmv 'pic().jpg' 'pic${(l:4::0:)1}.jpg' $ zmv '(*/)pic(*).jpg' '$1/pic${(l:4::0:)2}.jpg' # recursively


okay so real talk, that `zmv` block was a whole journey and we made it bestie 🫶 you ate that. And yes, you clocked it — the "Removing single quote from filenames" example shows up **twice** up there. That's not a typo on your girl's part, it's literally in the page twice, so it comes to you twice. We don't erase history in this house 💅.

---

## 🧩 Module-Examples 🧩

okay so before you dive into any of these bad boys, please actually read `zshmodules(1)` first! I'm so serious, bestie — that's where the lore lives 📖✨

### 🍓 zsh/pcre (require `zmodload zsh/pcre`)

Copy files of a certain period (date indicated in the filenames)

$ zmodload zsh/pcre $ ls -d -- *(e:'[[ $REPLY -pcre-match pcre-regexp ]]':) # or $ m() { [[ $1 -pcre-match pcre-regexp ]] } $ ls -d -- *(+m)


### 🌸 zsh/clone (require `zmodload zsh/clone`)

Creates a forked instance of the current shell ($! is set to zero) and

execute ``command'' on /dev/tty8 (for this example).

$ zmodload zsh/clone $ clone /dev/tty8 && (($! == 0)) && exec command


### 🦋 zsh/datetime (require `zmodload zsh/datetime`)

$ zmodload zsh/datetime $ alias datereplacement='strftime "%Y-%m-%d" $EPOCHSECONDS' $ export DATE=datereplacement $ echo $DATE

strip date from filename

$ $ zmodload zsh/datetime $ setopt extendedglob $ touch aaa_bbb_20041212_c.dat eee_fff_20051019_g.dat $ strftime -s pattern \ '???_???_<0-%Y%m%d>_?.dat' $((EPOCHSECONDS - 365 * 24 * 60 * 60 / 2)) $ print -rl -- $~pattern aaa_bbb_20041212_c.dat $ print -rl -- $pattern ???_???_<0-20050815>_?.dat

Search files size == 0, to be based on the file name containing a date

rather than the "last modified" date of the file

$ zmodload -i zsh/datetime $ strftime -s file "abc_de_%m%d%Y.dat" $((EPOCHSECONDS - 24 * 60 * 60 )) $ files=(**/$file(N.L0)) $ (( $#files > 0 )) && print -rl -- $files | \ mailx -s "empty files" foo@bar.tdl


### 🎀 zsh/stat (require `zmodload zsh/stat`)

test if a symbolic link links to a certain file

$ zmodload -i zsh/stat $ ! stat -LH s foo.ln || [[ $s[link] != "foo.exe" ]] || ln -sf foo.exe foo.ln

comparing file dates

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ file1=foo $ file2=bar $ touch bar & sleep 5 & touch foo $ echo $file1 is $(($(stat +mtime $file2) - \ $(stat +mtime $file1))) seconds older than $file2. bar is 5 seconds older than foo

list the files of a disk smaller than some other file

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ stat -A max +size some-other-file $ print -rl ./*/(D.L-$max)

List the top 100 biggest files in a disk

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ ls -fld ./*/(dstat +device .OL[1,100])

Get only the user name and the file names from (like

ls -l * | awk '{print $3" " $8}')

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ for file; do

stat -sA user +uid -- "$file" && print -r -- "$user" "$file" done

get the difference between actual bytes of file and allocated bytes of file

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ print $(($(stat +block -- file) * 512 - $(stat +size -- file)))

Find largest file

``D'' : to include dot files (d lowercase is for device)

``O'' : reverse Ordered (o lowercase for non-reverse order)

``L'' : by file Length (l is for number of links)

``[1]'': return only first one

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ stat +size ./*(DOL[1])

file size in bytes

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ stat -L +size ~/.zshrc 4707

Delete files in a directory that hasn't been accessed in the last ten days

and send ONE mail to the owner of the files informing him/her of the files'

deletion.

$ zmodload zsh/stat zsh/files $ typeset -A f; f=() $ rm -f /path/*/(.a+10e{'stat -sA u +uidr $REPLY; f[$u]="$f[$u]$REPLY"'}) $ for user (${(k)f}) {print -rn $f[$user]|mailx -s "..." $user}

Get a "ls -l" on all the files in the tree that are younger than a

specified age

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ for d (. ./*/(N/m-2))

print -r -- $'\n'$d: && cd $d && { for f (*(Nm-2om)) stat -F '%b %d %H:%M' -LsAs -- $f && print -r -- $s[3] ${(l:4:)s[4]} ${(l:8:)s[5]} \ ${(l:8:)s[6]} ${(l:8:)s[8]} $s[10] $f ${s[14]:+-> $s[14]} cd ~- }

get file creation date

$ zmodload zsh/stat $ stat -F '%d %m %Y' +mtime ~/.zshrc 30 06 2004 $ stat -F '%D' +mtime ~/.zshrc 06/30/04


### 💜 zsh/files (require `zmodload zsh/files`)

search a directory for files containing a certain string then copy those

files to another directory.

$ zmodload zsh/files $ IFS=$'\0' $ cp $(grep -lZr foobar .) otherdirectory


### 🧚 zsh/mapfile (require `zmodload zsh/mapfile`)

grepping for two patterns

$ zmodload zsh/mapfile $ pattern1="foo" $ pattern2="bar foo" $ print -l ./*/(DN.e{'z=$mapfile[$REPLY] && [[ $z = $pattern1 && \ $z = $pattern2 ]]'})

or a solution in combination with zsh/pcre

$ zmodload -i zsh/mapfile zsh/pcre $ pattern1="foo" $ pattern2="bar foo" $ pcre_compile "(?s)(?=.?$pattern1).?$pattern2" $ pcre_study $ print -l ./*/(DN.e{'pcre_match $mapfile[$REPLY]'})

equivalent for ``less /etc/passwd | grep -v root''

$ zmodload zsh/mapfile $ IFS=$'\n\n' $ print -rl -- ${${=mapfile[/etc/passwd]}:#root}

or - for case insensitive

$ setopt extendedglob $ print -rl -- ${${=mapfile[/etc/passwd]}:#(#i)root}

If a XML-file contains stuff like `<TAGA/>'' and` <TAGB/>'', number

this empty tags (ones ending in '/>') so if encountered in the same

order, the preceding tags would become ``<TAGA/>1</TAGA>'' and

``<TAGB/>2</TAGB>''

$ zmodload zsh/mapfile $ cnt=0 $ apfile[data.xml.new]=${(S)mapfile[data.xml]//\

(#im)<TAGA>*</TAGA>/<TAGA>$((++cnt))</TAGA>}

removing all files in users Maildir/new that contain ``filename="gone.src''

$ zmodload zsh/{files,mapfile} $ rm -f /u1/??//Maildir/new/100(.e{'[[ $mapfile[$REPLY] == \ filename="gone.scr" ]]'})

Grep out the Title from a postscript file and append that value to the

end of the filename

$ autoload -U zmv $ zmodload zsh/mapfile $ zmv '().ps' '$1-${${${mapfile[$f]##%%Title: }%% *}//[^a-zA-Z0-9_]/}.ps'


### 🔥 zsh/mathfunc (require `zmodload zsh/mathfunc`)

$ zmodload zsh/mathfunc $ echo $(( sin(1/4.0)2 + cos(1/4.0)2 - 1 )) -1.1102230246251565e-16 $ echo $(( pi = 4.0 * atan(1.0) )) 3.1415926535897931 $ echo $(( f = sin(0.3) )) 0.29552020666133955 $ print $((1e12 * rand48())) 847909677310.23413 $ print $(( rand48(seed) )) 0.01043488334700271


### 🌈 zsh/termcap (require `zmodload zsh/termcap`)

$ zmodload -ab zsh/termcap echotc $ GREEN=echotc AF 2 $ YELLOW=echotc AF 3 $ RED=echotc AF 1 $ BRIGHTRED=echotc md ; echotc AF 1 $ print -l ${GREEN}green ${YELLOW}yellow ${RED}red ${BRIGHTRED}brightred


### 👑 zsh/zpty (require `zmodload zsh/zpty`)

(and bestie… this one's got more coming, don't you dare close the tab 💅)

## 🦋 `zsh/zpty` (needs `zmodload zsh/zpty`)

$ zmodload zsh/zpty $ zpty PW passwd $1 $ zpty PW passwd $1

``-r'': read the output of the command name.

``z'' : Parameter

$ zpty -r PW z '*password:'

send the to command name the given strings as input

$ zpty -w PW $2 $ zpty -r PW z '*password:' $ zpty -w PW $2

The second form, with the -d option, is used to delete commands

previously started, by supplying a list of their names. If no names

are given, all commands are deleted. Deleting a command causes the HUP

signal to be sent to the corresponding process.

$ zpty -d PW


ok so quick glossary bestie: `-r` reads the output of the command name, `z` is a Parameter, and `-w` sends the given strings as input. And that `-d` form up there? That's the delete flavour — you hand it a list of names and it yeets those previously started commands. No names given = *everything* goes. And heads up, deleting a command sends the `HUP` signal to the corresponding process. 💅

---

## 🔌 `zsh/net/socket` (require `zmodload zsh/net/socket`)

``-l'': open a socket listening on filename

``-d'': argument will be taken as the target file descriptor for the

connection

`3'' : file descriptor. See` A User's Guide to the Z-Shell''

(3.7.2: File descriptors)

$ zmodload zsh/net/socket $ zsocket -l -d 3

``-a'': accept an incoming connection to the socket

$ zsocket -a -d 4 3 $ zsocket -a -d 5 3 # accept a connection $ echo foobar >&4 $ echo barfoo >&5 $ 4>&- 5>&- 3>&


translating the flags rq: `-l` opens a socket listening on *filename*, `-d` means the argument gets taken as the target file descriptor for the connection, and `3` is a file descriptor (go read `A User's Guide to the Z-Shell`, section 3.7.2: File descriptors, if you want the whole lore). `-a` accepts an incoming connection to the socket. slay.

---

## 🧚 `zsh/zftp` (require `zmodload zsh/zftp`)

$ autoload -U zfinit $ zfinit $ zfparams www.example.invalid myuserid mypassword $ zfopen $ zfcd tips $ zfls -l zshtips.html $ zfput zshtips.html $ zfls -l zshtips.html


**Automatically transfer files using FTP with error checking** 😤

$ autoload -U zfinit ; zfinit $ zftp open host.name.invalid user passwd || exit $ zftp get /remote/file > /local/file; r=$? $ zftp close && exit r


**compress and ftp on the fly** 🌀

$ autoload -U zfinit ; zfinit $ zftp open host.name.invalid user password $ zftp get $file | bzip2 > ${file}.bz2 $ zftp close


**Recursice ``get''** (yes that spelling is literally what it says, don't come for me)

$ autoload -U zfinit ; zfinit $ zfanon cr.yp.to $ zfcd daemontools $ for file in zfls ; do

zfget $file

$ done $ zfclose


**Upload all regular files in `$HOME/foobar` (recursive) that are newer than two hours to `ftp.foobar.invalid/path/to/upload`** ⏰

$ autoload -U zfinit ; zfinit $ zfopen ftp.foobar.invalid/path/to/upload $ cd $HOME/foobar $ zfput -r */(.mh-2) $ zfclose


**long list of files on a ftp** 📃

$ autoload -U zfinit ; zfinit $ zfopen some-host $ zfcd /some/remote/Dir $ cd /some/local/Dir

If the list.txt is located on the remote host, change to

zfget ${(f)"$(zftp get /path/to/remote/list.txt)"}

$ zfget ${(f)"$(cat list.txt)"} $ zfclose


---

## ⭐ `zsh/zselect` (require `zmodload zsh/zselect`)

it's similar to:

,----

$ sg=$(stty -g)
$ stty -icanon min 0 time 50
$ read yesno
$ stty "$sg"
$ case "$yesno" in
> yes) command1;;
> *) command2;;
> esac

`----


and here's the zselect glow-up:

$ zmodload zsh/zselect $ if zselect -t 500 -r 0 && read yesno && [ yes = "$yesno" ]; then

command1 else command1 fi


---

# ✨ OPTIONS ✨

## 🧭 Navigation options

- **`auto_cd`** — lets you change to a directory just by entering it as a command. yes, like a whole personality trait.
- **`auto_pushd`** — automatically appends dirs to the push/pop list.
- **`pushd_ignore_dups`** — and don't duplicate them, periodt.

## 🎀 Misc

- **`no_hup`** — don't send the `HUP` signal to background jobs when exiting ZSH.
- **`print_exit_value`** — show a message with the exit code when a command returns with a non-zero exit code.

### 🕰️ History options

- **`hist_verify`** — lets the user edit the command line *after* history expansion (think `!ls`) instead of immediately running it.
- use the same history file for all sessions: `setopt SHARE_HISTORY`.

### 🔒 Privacy / Security

- **`no_clobber`** (or `set -C`) — prevents `>` redirection from truncating the given file if it already exists. protect your files bestie 🫶

### 🔤 Spelling correction

- **`correct`** — automatically corrects the spelling of commands.
- **`correct_all`** — automatically corrects the spelling of each word on the command line.
- **`dvorak`** — dvorak layout.

---

# 🌈 UNSORTED/MISC 🌈

**Mailpath: simple multiple mailpath** 📬

mailpath=($HOME/Mail/mbox'?new mail in mbox' $HOME/Mail/tux.u-strasbg'?new mail in tux' $HOME/Mail/lilo'?new mail in lilo' $HOME/Mail/ldap-fr'?new mail in ldap-fr')


**Mailpath: dynamic mailpath** 🦋

typeset -a mailpath for i in ~/Mail/Lists/*(.); do mailpath[$#mailpath+1]="${i}?You have new mail in ${i:t}." done


**Avoid globbing on special commands** 🙈

for com in alias expr find mattrib mcopy mdir mdel which; alias $com="noglob $com"


For migrating your bash prompt to zsh, use the script `bash2zshprompt` — it's located in the zsh source distribution under `Misc`.

For migration from (t)csh to zsh, use the `c2z` tool, which converts csh aliases and environment and shell variables to zsh. It does this by running csh and having csh report on aliases and variables; the script then converts these to zsh startup files. Lowkey it has some issues and usage information that are documented at the top of this script — so read the top, ok? 😭

Here are functions to set the title and hardstatus of an XTerm or of GNU Screen to zsh and the current directory, respectively, when the prompt is displayed, and to the command name and rest of the command line, respectively, when a command is executed:

function title { if [[ $TERM == "screen" ]]; then # Use these two for GNU Screen: print -nR $' 33k'$1$' 33'\ print -nR $' 33]0;'$2$'' elif [[ $TERM == "xterm" || $TERM == "rxvt" ]]; then # Use this one instead for XTerms: print -nR $' 33]0;'$*$'' fi } function precmd { title zsh "$PWD" } function preexec { emulate -L zsh local -a cmd; cmd=(${(z)1}) title $cmd[1]:t "$cmd[2,-1]" }


Put the following line into your `~/.screenrc` to see this fancy hardstatus:

caption always "%3n %t%? (%u)%?%?: %h%?"


**Special variables which are assigned** 👑

$LINENO $RANDOM $SECONDS $COLUMNS $HISTCHARS $UID $EUID $GID $EGID $USERNAME $fignore $mailpath $cdpath


---

# 🔗 LINKS 🔗

- **Primary site** — `http://www.zsh.org/`
- **Zsh Web Pages** — `https://zsh.sourceforge.io/`
- **Project-page** — `http://sourceforge.net/projects/zsh/`
- **From Bash to Z Shell: Conquering the Command Line - the book** — `http://www.bash2zsh.com/`
- **"Zsh - die magische Shell" (german book about Zsh) by Sven Guckes and Julius Plenz** — `http://zshbuch.org/`
- **Mailinglistarchive** — `http://www.zsh.org/mla/`
- **ZSH-FAQ** — `https://zsh.sourceforge.io/FAQ/zshfaq.html`
- **Userguide** — `https://zsh.sourceforge.io/Guide/`
- **ZSH-Wiki (Archived link)** — `https://web.archive.org/web/20160304135622/http://zshwiki.org/home/`
- **Mouse-Support ;)** — `http://stchaz.free.fr/mouse.zsh`
- **ZSH Prompt introduction** — `http://aperiodic.net/phil/prompt/`
- **ft's blog posts around zsh** — `http://bewatermyfriend.org/tag/zsh/`
- **ft's zsh configuration** — `https://gitlab.com/ft/etc-zsh`
- **Adam's ZSH page** — `http://www.adamspiers.org/computing/zsh/`
- **Zzappers Best of ZSH Tips (Archived link)** — `https://web.archive.org/web/20190517011103/http://www.rayninfo.co.uk/tips/zshtips.html`
- **Zsh Webpage by Christian Schneider** — `http://www.strcat.de/zsh/`
- **The zsh-lovers webpage** — `http://grml.org/zsh/`
- **IRC channel** — `#zsh` at `irc.freenode.org`
- **The Z shell reference-card (included in the zsh-lovers debian-package)** — `http://www.bash2zsh.com/zsh_refcard/refcard.pdf`

---

# 👑 AUTHORS 👑

This manpage was written by Michael Prokop, Christian strcat Schneider and Matthias Kopfermann. But bestie, *so many* ideas have been taken from zsh-geeks — like, from the zsh-mailinglists (zsh-users and zsh-workers), google, newsgroups and the zsh-Wiki. Thanks for your cool and incredible tips. We learned much from you! 🫶

In alphabetic order:

- Andrew 'zefram' Main — `http://www.fysh.org/~zefram/`
- Barton E. Schaefer — `http://www.well.com/user/barts/`
- Matthias Kopfermann — `http://www.guckes.net/zsh/lover.html`
- Oliver Kiddle — `http://people.freenet.de/opk/`
- Paul Falstad — `http://www.falstad.com/`
- Peter Stephenson — `http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.stephenson/`
- Richard Coleman
- Stephane Chazelas — `http://stephane.chazelas.free.fr/`
- Sven Guckes — `http://www.guckes.net/`
- Sven Wischnowsky — `http://w9y.de/`

---

# 📚 SEE ALSO 📚

Manpages of zsh, the whole squad:

- `zsh` — Zsh overview
- `zshall` — Tthe Z shell meta-man page
- `zshbuiltins` — Zsh built-in commands
- `zshcalsys` — zsh calendar system
- `zshcompctl` — zsh programmable completion
- `zshcompsys` — Zsh completion system
- `zshcompwid` — Zsh completion widgets
- `zshcontrib` — User contributions to zsh
- `zshexpn` — Zsh expansion and substitution
- `zshmisc` — Anything not fitting into the other sections
- `zshmodules` — Zsh loadable modules
- `zshoptions` — Zsh options
- `zshparam` — Zsh parameters
- `zshroadmap` — Informal introduction to the zsh manual
- `zshtcpsys` — Zsh tcp system
- `zshzle` — Zsh command line editing
- `zshzftpsys` — Zsh built-in FTP client
- `zshall` — Meta-man page containing all of the above

> Note: especially `man zshcontrib` covers very useful topics! Book: *From Bash to Z Shell* by Oliver Kiddle, Jerry Peck and Peter Stephenson. ISBN: `1590593766`. — `bash2zsh.com`. Also take a look at the section LINKS in this manpage. 💖

---

# 💀 BUGS 💀

Probably. This manpage might be never complete. So please report bugs, feedback and suggestions via `https://github.com/grml/zsh-lovers`. Thank you!

---

# 🎀 COPYRIGHT 🎀

Copyright (C) Michael Prokop, Christian Schneider and Matthias Kopfermann.

---

ok that's the whole page bestie, you're officially zsh-lovers literate 🧚✨ this was `zsh-lovers(1)`, dated `12/04/2024` — go forth and slay your command line, no cap 💅💜

📦 where this page comes from

arch rolling: zsh-lovers 0.11.0-1 · GPL-2.0-only
💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 on 2026-11-04: a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms

ZSH-LOVERS(1)

💖 NAME 💖

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

🌸 OVERVIEW 🌸

🛠️ SHELL-SCRIPTING 🛠️

🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

💅 ALIASES 💅

🧚 COMPLETION 🧚

🍓 UNSORTED/MISC examples 🍓

🌀 (Recursive) Globbing - Examples

🎀 Modifiers usage 🎀

💅 Redirection-Examples 💅

🌈 ZMV-Examples (require autoload zmv) 🌈

renumber files.

adding leading zeros to a filename (1.jpg -> 001.jpg, ..

See above, but now only files with a filename >= 30 chars

Replace spaces in filenames with a underline

Change the suffix from *.sh to *.pl

Add a "".txt" extension to all the files within ${HOME}

``-.'' is to only rename regular files or symlinks to regular files,

``D'' is to also rename hidden files (dotfiles))

Recursively change filenames with characters ? [ ] / = + < > ; : " , - *

Removing single quote from filenames (recursively)

When a new file arrives (named file.txt) rename all files in order to

get (e. g. file119.txt becomes file120.txt, file118.txt becomes

file119.txt and so on ending with file.txt becoming file1.txt

lowercase/uppercase all files/directories

Remove the suffix *.c from all C-Files

Uppercase only the first letter of all *.mp3 - files

Copy the target README' in same directory as each Makefile'

Removing single quote from filenames (recursively)

Rename pic1.jpg, pic2.jpg, .. to pic0001.jpg, pic0002.jpg, ..

Copy files of a certain period (date indicated in the filenames)

Creates a forked instance of the current shell ($! is set to zero) and

execute ``command'' on /dev/tty8 (for this example).

strip date from filename

Search files size == 0, to be based on the file name containing a date

rather than the "last modified" date of the file

test if a symbolic link links to a certain file

comparing file dates

list the files of a disk smaller than some other file

List the top 100 biggest files in a disk

Get only the user name and the file names from (like

ls -l * | awk '{print $3" " $8}')

get the difference between actual bytes of file and allocated bytes of file

Find largest file

``D'' : to include dot files (d lowercase is for device)

``O'' : reverse Ordered (o lowercase for non-reverse order)

``L'' : by file Length (l is for number of links)

``[1]'': return only first one

file size in bytes

Delete files in a directory that hasn't been accessed in the last ten days

and send ONE mail to the owner of the files informing him/her of the files'

deletion.

Get a "ls -l" on all the files in the tree that are younger than a

specified age

get file creation date

search a directory for files containing a certain string then copy those

files to another directory.

grepping for two patterns

or a solution in combination with zsh/pcre

equivalent for ``less /etc/passwd | grep -v root''

or - for case insensitive

If a XML-file contains stuff like <TAGA/>'' and <TAGB/>'', number

this empty tags (ones ending in '/>') so if encountered in the same

order, the preceding tags would become ``<TAGA/>1</TAGA>'' and

``<TAGB/>2</TAGB>''

removing all files in users Maildir/new that contain ``filename="gone.src''

Grep out the Title from a postscript file and append that value to the

end of the filename

``-r'': read the output of the command name.

``z'' : Parameter

send the to command name the given strings as input

The second form, with the -d option, is used to delete commands

previously started, by supplying a list of their names. If no names

are given, all commands are deleted. Deleting a command causes the HUP

signal to be sent to the corresponding process.

``-l'': open a socket listening on filename

``-d'': argument will be taken as the target file descriptor for the

connection

Change the suffix from .sh to .pl

Copy the target `README' in same directory as each` Makefile'

If a XML-file contains stuff like `<TAGA/>'' and` <TAGB/>'', number

`3'' : file descriptor. See` A User's Guide to the Z-Shell''