Bash vs zsh speed. Whether you're a beginner looking to.

Bash vs zsh speed Zsh vs. Mar 25, 2024 · zsh for interactive use, because I like a few of it’s extra features vs bash (cd -<tab>, cd this that) and I haven’t bothered with fish yet. IMO having to install oh-my-zsh is the deal breaker for me. 9K subscribers 17 Mar 1, 2020 · Things to know when differentiating Zsh vs Bash. Speed up zsh compinit by only checking cache once a day. Jul 5, 2025 · Overall, these aspects of Oh-My-Zsh enhance the usability of Zsh, making it a robust alternative to Fish shell. It's speed compares to the smaller mksh, which is way faster than bash, and it has also some unique features, like floating point arithmetic. Zsh is fast and has smaller memory footprint, so you can have many instances hanging in the background (hello tmux users) without big impact on your system. sh-benchmark The sh Oct 6, 2024 · In this video, we dive into the world of command-line shells, focusing on two of the most popular options: Zsh and Bash. zshrc file in your home directory. If speed is not everything you care about, ksh (or ksh93) can be considered the best compromise between speed and features. Highly recommended to read the following: Speeding up my ZSH load - Carlos Alexandro Becker: outlines a few fixes that will speed up the prompt massively. Basic Features of Bash and Zsh I've been looking at different shells lately, and while I like Fish's overall philosophy and doing things different from POSIX shells like Bash and Zsh, I looked at Nushell's Cookbook and the way it treats things as data instead of raw text looks really interesting. Oh-my-bash Alternatives Similar projects and alternatives to oh-my-bash ohmyzsh 1 616 182,705 9. " Bash includes additional features such as command line editing, history, and job control. Scripts always use the "#!/bin/bash" or "#!/bin/zsh" to direct the target environment. I want to share which one I chose and how I went about setting it up. : mentioned in the Zsh is great, and is even better with oh-my-zsh, but if you have to deal with Linux that may or not have zsh (including legacy ones), and colleagues that may or not know/use zsh, probably sticking with bash is a good choice. Discover which is better for scripting, performance, customization, and productivity in your terminal workflow. They are very similar. 3(0)-release (amd64-portbld-freebsd11. Some of this stems back to the syntactical decisions that lend CSH more complexity. Contribute to romkatv/zsh-bench development by creating an account on GitHub. More about zsh Completion System. Both shells allow users to run commands, write scripts, and interact with the operating system efficiently. When it comes to the power of Powershell vs the power of Bash, Powershell is technically far more of a powerful tool than bash. But we still need to unpack the key differences between Zsh vs Oh My Zsh specifically. This article dives into the differences between Bash and Zsh, comparing their features, scripting capabilities, performance, and customization options to help users choose the right shell for their needs in 2025. Cue the collective sighs and confusion. GNU bash, version 5. Bash ( Bourne-Again shell ) Bash, or the Bourne-Again Shell, is by far the most popularly used shell and it comes installed as the default shell in the most popular Linux distributions. Zsh shell command languages, explore their differences, and see how to use both successfully. 2) In all of the tests below, the count = number of executions per second for three seconds after a one-second warmup. Jan 10, 2025 · Developers and system administrators often choose Zsh in Zsh vs Bash for tasks like: Daily Command-Line Usage: Enhanced auto-completion and interactive features speed up workflows. I'm increasingly seeing Zsh being recommended, but I'm having trouble finding a useful eplanation about its advantages vs bash. It’s a plugin system to integrate multiple Zsh scripts. . In bash, it is done by including bash_completion while zsh achieves this by running compinit. Discover which shell suits your workflow—scripting, customization, or beginner-friendly use. Oct 15, 2025 · Bash vs Zsh: Choosing Your Shell in 2025 If you’ve spent any time in the terminal, you’ve probably encountered both Bash and Zsh. Unlike traditional shells like Bash and ZSH, Nushell provides a more interactive and customizable experience. sh or script. If you have a choice of shells, then you need to learn how to choose the right shell for the job. Out of ten, how difficult would it be to support the same zsh themes in nu? Edit: oops, I was using bash not sh. This way, you can test and compare the performance of various shells like Sh, Bash, Dash, Zsh, Fish, etc. For the first 13 years of using Linux, I only used bash. and measure their performance? Mar 3, 2017 · Most Linux distributions include the bash shell by default, but you could also switch to another shell environment. In this post, we will explore ways to optimize shell performance using Bash Jul 24, 2023 · Linux is powerful because of its versatile command line interface to interact with the system. Bash: The Important Differences Nov 18, 2025 · Introduction to Bash and Zsh Bash (Bourne Again Shell) and Zsh (Z Shell) are two powerful Unix command-line interpreters used by advanced users to manage systems and automate tasks. Unravel their unique features and learn how to choose the right shell for your tasks. But here’s the deal—if you’re doing any real terminal work on macOS, it’s worth knowing why that switch happened and whether you should care. Aug 22, 2024 · Understanding the Differences Between Unix Shells: bash, csh, dash, ksh, shh, tcsh, and zsh Unix-like operating systems offer various command-line shells, each with unique features and Mar 24, 2025 · Let’s compare Bash vs. Bash, short for "Bourne Again Shell," is a popular and widely used shell that is an enhanced version of the original Unix shell, known as "sh. That fact alone makes powershell the obvious winner in terms of power. gitstatus uses a combination of tricks like async prompt updates and avoiding executing a separate executable by using a deamon to drastically speed up git status. To make changes to your zsh configuration, you can edit the . Zsh is a particularly popular alternative, and there are other shells, like ash, dash, fish, and tcsh. Bash vs Zsh [The Ultimate Comparison] | LinuxSimply LinuxSimply 2. I switched to zsh less than a year ago now, and have fallen in love with the great customization that oh my zsh provides. Apr 29, 2024 · With both Bash and Zsh providing compelling advantages, selecting the right shell for scripting can significantly shape your productivity, and simplify your daily tasks. Jun 20, 2025 · A quick guide to understanding the key differences between Bash, SH, and ZSH and when to use each one for scripting or daily terminal use. bash, fish will run it with bash. zshrc config, plus zsh offers a bash-compatibility mode that can read . 64 in user-land and 1. You should become familiar with Bash, and read through a cheat sheet or two so that you have a general awareness of its capabilities. If fish is friendlier than zsh, why do I see more people using zsh instead of fish? And what are the main differences… Bash vs. May 21, 2025 · Bash strictly adheres to POSIX standards, which ensures broad compatibility across Unix-like systems. Zsh, while mostly compatible with Bash, prioritizes features and user experience over strict POSIX compliance. Its focus on user-friendliness and ease-of-use makes it a great choice for anyone looking to streamline their command line workflow. Let me go over in this video the difference between Bash, ZSH, and Fish, and finally settle the debate on which one is the BEST. Main differences for scripting (and for power users on the command line of course) 22 votes, 25 comments. ) # Zsh auto-correction feature mkdri myfolder # Zsh will correct this to mkdir myfolder While both shells are powerful, use Bash for scripting due to its widespread compatibility, and switch to Zsh for a more interactive terminal experience. Make it even faster Antibody is faster than other zsh package managers, but you might want to speed it up further. Oct 28, 2023 · Zsh offers some advanced functionality that Bash lacks, like more customizable completion and theming, spelling correction, and plugins. Measure your shell startup time between fish and zsh (with comparable features) and you’ll see what I mean. Jul 26, 2023 · Dive into the command-line world with this detailed comparison between two powerful shells: Bash and Zsh. Oh my zsh covers several aspects. Bash and Why You Should Switch to Fish Fish Themes (I’m using and happy with bobthefish) Configure Fish with ‘bobthefish’ and ‘nerd fonts’ on Mac Dec 27, 2023 · Bash is generally recognized as having better overall performance characteristics vs. Benchmark for interactive Zsh. By the end, you’ll see why Fish provides […] Nov 26, 2024 · While Zsh is not completely compatible with Bash, it shares some similar functionalities and features with Bash. When I say ag Dec 27, 2023 · For experienced Linux users, choosing the right shell is an important decision. For command parameter name/value completions, these shells assume path/filename completion if no completion is defined for the command. Bash is the reliable, time-tested option that prioritizes portability, while Zsh offers advanced features and customization for users who need a more tailored shell environment. No need to commit, just a little `nix-shell nixpkgs#oh-my-posh --command zsh` and `source < (oh-my-posh init zsh)`. Apr 11, 2025 · Learn the key differences between Zsh and Bash—two powerful Unix shells. Dec 28, 2022 · Configuring zsh In zsh, you can customize your shell by editing the . The differences are pretty insignificant and the use cases are too simplistic. May 12, 2025 · Bash, Zsh, and Fish each have their own strengths and weaknesses, depending on your needs and level of expertise. If you need that, stay posix-compatible (but honestly, if you find yourself copying big scripts into interactive sessions a lot Feb 18, 2021 · One of “output and subshell” test results. Which do you think is more powerful and or convenient? I know this sub would be biased to Fish Shell but still. This file contains a list of commands and settings that will be executed every time you start a new zsh session. For a more complete test there should have been used a bit more builtins for testing and some common string or variable substitutions and basic arithmetical stuff. Aug 21, 2024 · Emphasizes speed in command-line editing and history operations Note: While these shells offer various advantages, the choice of shell often depends on specific use cases, personal preferences, and the operating system environment. Differences The processing of variables is the same in both zsh and bash. Shells are just an executable like any other on your machine - their purpose is to just May 5, 2025 · Master Linux shell customization 2025 with Bash, Zsh, and Fish. Explore the differences between tcsh vs bash and discover which shell suits your style. Just recently a colleague told me he's using starship. On the other hand, take zsh (or bash etc). Dec 27, 2023 · Clearly advanced shells are winning over users. For scripting, bash, though I'm very excited about nushell getting more mature. Whether you're a beginner looking to We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. All you need to understand to know that is that Powershell is an object oriented programming language, and bash is not. zshrc file directly or use the zsh-config tool. Which one is faster? starship is written in rust so maybe it has Also, it's common to provide a . Apr 25, 2025 · Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. It allows you to execute a series of commands in an infinite loop or until the timeout. Bash and PowerShell are both shells, but of the two, PowerShell is vastly, vastly, vastly more powerful as a tool. On Jun 18, 2016 · Recommendation - Zsh vs FishShell. There are quite a few fans of the Z shell throughout the developer community who advocate for it quite heavily thanks to the many useful features it provides. Zsh has job control. Two of the most popular shells for Linux are the Bourne - Again SHell (Bash) and the Z Shell (Zsh). Is Bash more powerful than Powershell ? or just less modern ? When Powershell will be able to manage a full production linux environment ? Dash comes second; bash, pdksh and zsh lag behind. Compare features, syntax, and practical uses to elevate your command line skills. Created by the GNU Project. Mar 18, 2024 · Low dependence on shared libraries Relatively low boot time Better execution speed Though the Bash shell is more versatile, extensive, and preferred for user-interactive sessions, the mentioned features of Dash outweigh Bash in terms of speed. 0. Since it's based on the same shell as Bash, ZSH has many of the same features, and switching over is a breeze. ZSH vs. Explore their origins, features, user-friendliness, and more to find out which shell is Aug 28, 2024 · Optimizing shell performance with bash and zsh 28 August 2024 bash, zsh, performance, shell Optimizing Shell Performance with Bash and zsh # Shell Performance Optimization Shell performance can be a concern for system administrators and developers, especially when working with large datasets or complex shell scripts. Understanding the differences between them can help you choose the one that best Zsh outperforms Bash in speed, offers advanced key bindings, prompt customization, and flexible completion system, making it a robust alternative. Shell What's the Difference? Bash and Shell are both command-line interpreters used in Unix-based operating systems to execute commands and scripts. For scripting, bash, though I’m very excited about nushell getting more mature. Explore the nuanced differences in our dash vs bash guide. Bash, zsh and fish offer parameter name completion through a definition external to the command, distributed in a separate completion definition file. Dec 27, 2023 · In this comprehensive 2500+ word guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Zsh vs Bash scripting. Defining Zsh – a Powerful and Customizable Shell Zsh (also called the Z Shell) is an extended Unix shell that is highly customizable and packed full of convenient features. Chapter 2: Differences between Nushell In the world of Linux, the command - line interface (CLI) is a powerful tool that allows users to interact directly with the operating system. Scripting, productivity and poweruser perse [closed] Asked15 years, 11 months ago Modified 6 years, 2 months ago Viewed 17k times 12 Feb 17, 2025 · Learn how to seamlessly transition from Bash to Zsh with our comprehensive step-by-step guide tailored for developers. My zsh set up was nearly 100x slower than raw bash. Feb 20, 2024 · Why I Migrated to Fish Shell from Oh My Zsh Choosing a Unix shell boils down to personal preference, specific needs, and the features that one values the most in their daily usage. Maybe you’re a longtime Bash user curious about what Zsh … Mar 19, 2025 · Compare the Bash vs. Oct 5, 2025 · ShellBench is a free benchmark tool written in a shell script for POSIX shell comparison. , and upon completion, it will return the number of executions per second, with a higher number indicating better Of course, no one shell is best for all purposes. Jun 26, 2020 · - measuring speed? try hyperfine -N 'zsh -ic exit' (or use variants with -l in addition for macOS, which makes lots of login shells; use only-c exit for things like "what does Vim do when I shell out?) Sep 24, 2023 · Here's how to install one popular alternative, ZSH. Image by Author. Bash vs Fish The Fish shell (Friendly Interactive SHell) is designed to be user-friendly and easy to learn. May 16, 2018 · Raw bash speeds I was averaging 3. bash_profile config for various command line tools; less common but not unheard of to get a . For copy-pasting scripts from the internet: well, there's no easy solution to that. CSH when it comes to executing shell scripts and commands. May 6, 2020 · When I set up my Windows computer, I had the chance to take another look at the shell I'm using. Jun 8, 2019 · Many of bash's shopt settings have a corresponding setopt in zsh. bash* configs directly. But even for bash scripts it's good form to always use a shebang. Plus, you'll learn if being POSIX-compliant actually matters Discover what are bash and zsh in this concise guide. In the following sections, let’s compare the performance of both shells. Zsh: Feature comparison Scripting capabilities Bash — Due to its POSIX compliance and speed, Bash is better suited for scripting and automation In this video we compare and contrast Bash, Powershell, Zsh and Fish. It still has bash installed (a fairly old version due to licensing) and existing accounts keep their perfered shell as bash but ya it is installed by default and new users have zsh as their perfered shell. Mar 12, 2024 · Here in this article, we are going to differentiate between the two most popular shells bash and zsh. 5 in kernel-land. Here's a comparison: Bash (Bourne Again SHell) History: The successor to the original Bourne shell (sh). In What Ways Do Performance Metrics Differ Between Zsh and Fish? Performance metrics differ between Zsh and Fish primarily in their approach to user experience and functionality. Also explains how to debug your prompt load time. Uncover features, strengths, and tips to master your command line experience. The ksh and zsh seems about seven times faster than bash. (Maybe Zsh or Fish, also. Mar 29, 2025 · Bash vs Zsh vs Fish: Learn the key differences between the top Linux shells in 2025. Bash is the default login shell for most Linux distributions. Jul 19, 2023 · A quick beginner's intro to popular Linux Shells - Bash, Fish and Zsh with their features, installation methods and guide for you. But two popular alternatives, ZSH and Fish, offer more advanced features and customization. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. Central to this experience are the shells, which act as the bridge between users and the Linux kernel Jan 11, 2025 · Developers and system administrators often choose Zsh in Zsh vs Bash for tasks like: Daily Command-Line Usage: Enhanced auto-completion and interactive features speed up workflows. zshrc and such). The ksh excelled in 17 tests and the zsh in six tests. Bash vs. Thanks for the correction. Dec 17, 2023 · Chapter 1: Introduction to Nushell Today, we’re going to talk about a powerful and modern shell called Nushell. On the other side, there are even more fans of Bash who know that their biggest advantage is their far larger user Jul 30, 2019 · My experience using zsh and changing to using the friendly interactive shell to improve performance What I do on Linux is keep bash with a minimal config, and then have zsh with oh-my-zsh and all the other goodies. Zsh is often combined with Oh My Zsh a plugin system and collection of plugins that enhance the shell. Further Reading Why Aren’t You Using Fish and Oh-My-Fish? Great recent article on fish configuration Fish and iTerm2 Fish vs. Bash is known for its simplicity, POSIX compliance, and widespread availability across Linux distributions Zsh also offers ways to do fancy customizations. Initial performance Fish’s performance is a lot better than ZSH’s, and very similar to Bash. Intro Before we begin, it might be helpful to understand how shells in general start up. Jul 8, 2024 · In the case of Bash vs Z shell, neither is really better than the other. Zsh is Posix shell, so many more things just work with it. First: the shell is an interface between the user and operating system services. What are your reasons for using zsh or sticking with bash? Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Top New Controversial Old Q&A [deleted] • I've always been using oh-my-zsh (omz) on mac/linux and oh-my-bash on windows. Learn how to boost productivity using themes, plugins, and cross-platform workflows. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the key differences between ZSH and Fish shell. At first I thought it's just another terminal, but turns out it's a customisation prompt like omz. / en / versus / bash-vs-zsh BASH vs ZSH Both are powerful command-line shells used primarily on Unix-like operating systems (Linux, macOS). Mar 23, 2023 · Shell Comparison: Analyzing the Pros and Cons of Bash, Zsh, Fish, and Tcsh Helping you decide which shell to use！ Before we begin comparing various shells, if you’re not sure what a shell is Mar 24, 2024 · zsh for interactive use, because I like a few of it's extra features vs bash (cd -<tab>, cd this that) and I haven't bothered with fish yet. But what's the difference, and why are there so many? What Do Shells Do? When you sign in at the command line or launch a terminal window on Linux, the system launches the shell Jan 1, 2024 · He also wrote zsh-bench. To enable interactive comments, run setopt interactive_comments. My environment is set up to support either based on group of startup scripts I maintain. A coworker of mine uses fish instead and he's frequently grumbling over lack of fish support for this or that tool. The default Bash shell is a powerful option. Zsh emphasizes speed and resource usage. Zsh, discuss the differences, and explore how to use both. Dec 7, 2020 · Back in June, I started porting my dotfiles from ZSH to Fish. Bash: Reliable and comes pre-installed with Termux. Uncover key contrasts and master the commands for your coding journey. Moving to zsh from bash was pretty simple. Here’s why. We can verify that by firing up a container with limited CPU and memory, like so: docker run --rm -it --cpus 1 --memory 100m ubuntu bash And then we can install all the shells, as well as hyperfine, and see how they go: Aug 23, 2024 · However, many users prefer Zsh for its advanced features like improved autocompletion and customization options. You actually don't need a bash shebang; if you name your script script. It's fine! It's not a PowerShell script anymore (and hence it's not insanely slow anymore). Apr 7, 2021 · Zsh Zsh is for people wanting an interesting mix of a good compatibility with Bash and an ecosystem of plugins with a reasonable installation process. They interpret your commands and interact with the operating system. If you need to invoke a shell frequently to perform a very short task each time, dash wins because of its low startup time. Completion Both the shells provide features like command completion and switching to fancy mode. Btw is there like a "benchmark-suite" for this particular purpose to test posix-compatible shells like bash, zsh, dash etc. Say goodbye to Bash and hello to a new era of efficiency with Zsh! Don't miss out on this essential guide to optimizing your command-line experience. The Z Shell (zsh), created in the early 1990s by Paul Falstad, was designed as a highly customizable and extended shell, incorporating the best features of other shells like csh, ksh, and bash. Zsh is more likely to be preinstalled on your machine. You‘ll learn about their origins, syntax variations, scripting and interactive capabilities, use cases, communities, and more through insightful examples and analysis. Zsh is designed to be a highly customizable shell with an interactive command-line interface for executing commands, running shell scripts, and performing various system administration tasks. Feb 1, 2025 · Super quick one I want to document here! I got myself on a side quest, again! No biggie, my ZSH shell was taking ages to load. zsh offers a superset of capability. 14 seconds, with 1. However, Bash still excels in certain areas like startup speed and cross-platform portability. The three main ones out there are Bash, Zsh, and Fish. This article will look at Bash vs Zsh, focusing on their features, performance, extensibility, and community support. Each shell has its own set of features, advantages, and use - cases. Dive into the comparison of c shell vs bash and discover their unique features, syntax, and best use cases for your scripting needs. I used bash for a long time, so I don't get too confused by context switching. I wanted to investigate what was going on, and why it was so much slower. As a default bash user who want to switch from bash why should i use fish instead of zsh ? I was told fish and bash have… Dec 16, 2024 · Hopefully by outlining the background, pros and cons, feature comparisons, and key differentiators between Bash vs Zsh vs Fish – this guide has helped identify the best shell fit for your particular requirements as a beginner or advancing developer. What is ZSH? ZSH, also called the Z shell, is an extended version of the Bourne Shell (sh), with new features and support for plugins and themes. 4 Shell oh-my-bash VS ohmyzsh 118 votes, 127 comments. Noteworthy features Feb 13, 2025 · TL;DR: Kali Linux’s default zsh boosts productivity for cybersecurity pros with auto-correction, dynamic tab completions, and custom prompts, streamlining command execution and reducing errors compared to bash. Over the years, zsh has gained a reputation for being one of the most powerful and versatile shells available, combining rich scripting features with a robust interactive experience. Fish provides all of those features natively, is much easier to configure (ever tried writing a completion script for zsh vs fish?), and is significantly faster. This difference matters when you‘re writing scripts that need to run on multiple systems: # This works in both Bash and Zsh Explore the nuances of zsh vs bash in this comprehensive guide. Aug 20, 2024 · I decided to actually try this out mostly because of the overwhelmingly negative comments here. Zsh doesn't treat # as a comment start on the command line by default, only in scripts (including . I believe both have the necessary plugins and themes I need, so it all just comes down to speed. uhbw iysz cxlfsptf ledk ylqaxv duuas bds tqcooqd kosjjae cdme dypit etgyj euzqv pxwyib lbc