Shell-abration: A Beginner's Guide to Bash, Zsh, Oh My Zsh, and Fish

Shell-abration: A Beginner's Guide to Bash, Zsh, Oh My Zsh, and Fish

Shell-abration: A Beginner's Guide to Bash, Zsh, Oh My Zsh, and Fish was initially published on Thursday January 05 2023 on the Tech Dev Blog. For the latest up-to-date content, fresh out of the oven, visit https://techdevblog.io and subscribe to our newsletter!

Bash, zsh, and fish are all Unix shell programs that allow you to interact with your computer's operating system in a more human-friendly way. While they all serve the same basic purpose, there are some key differences between them that may make one a better choice for you over the others.

Bash

First, let's start with Bash. Bash, which stands for Bourne Again SHell, is the default shell for most Linux distributions, and for macOS until 2019. It's a tried-and-true shell that has been around since 1989 and is known for its stability and compatibility with a wide range of software.

Zsh

Next up is zsh, or the Z Shell. Like Bash, it's a Unix shell that allows you to enter commands and run programs on your computer. However, it's generally considered to be more feature-rich than Bash, with better tab completion and improved support for plugins and themes.

Oh My Zsh

Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source framework for managing your Zsh configuration. It comes with a ton of helpful features, like a powerful plugin system and the ability to switch between themes with ease. It also includes a bunch of useful aliases and functions that can save you time and typing.

Fish

Finally, there's fish, or the Friendly Interactive Shell. Like the other shells, it allows you to enter commands and run programs on your computer. However, it's designed to be more user-friendly, with syntax highlighting and automatic suggestion of commands as you type. It also includes some helpful features like web-based configuration and the ability to search your command history.

Conclusion

So which one should you choose? It really comes down to personal preference. Bash is a tried-and-true option that's been around for a long time, and it's the default shell on most systems. Zsh and Oh My Zsh offer some nice additional features, but may not be as widely supported as Bash. Fish is a good choice if you're new to shells and want something that's a bit more user-friendly. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which one best meets your needs.

Shell-abration: A Beginner's Guide to Bash, Zsh, Oh My Zsh, and Fish was initially published on Thursday January 05 2023 on the Tech Dev Blog. For the latest up-to-date content, fresh out of the oven, visit https://techdevblog.io and subscribe to our newsletter!

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