Customized Unix Terminal

This document serves as a guide for how I customize my macOS and Linux terminals. It includes a variety of configurations, settings, and programs that I find useful for my daily workflow. The document is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of terminal customization.

NOTICE

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Useful Programs

The following table contains a list of terminal programs that I find particularly useful. These programs are separated into two categories: Third Party Package Managers (TPPM) and Native Package Managers (NPM).

The Third Party Package Managers section includes programs not installed using the system's default package manager. These programs are typically installed using tools like Homebrew, Pip, Cargo, Npm, Gem, or Git. I've included a brief description of each program and the relevant package manager(s) that can install it.

/// details | Git Installations While most of these programs can be installed via git, they will not be marked as such unless recommended by the program's documentation or myself, or if it's the only other way to install the program. ///

The Native Package Managers section includes programs that can be installed using the system's default package manager. Since the primary Linux distributions I use are Debian based, all of the programs in this section are confirmed installable via apt. For other Linux distributions, you can check Repology to see if the program is available in your distribution's package manager. Like with TPPM, I've included a brief description for each program and a link with the number of repository families featuring the package.

/// tab | Third Party Package Manager {{ read_csv("includes/csv/useful-packages-tppm.csv") }} ///

/// tab | Native Package Manager Applicable Operating Systems: Linux

{{ read_csv("includes/csv/useful-packages-npm.csv") }} ///

Customizing ZSH Shell

Framework

Oh-my-zsh is my preferred framework due to its popularity, reliability, and consistent updates. As one of the leading zsh frameworks, it made its initial commit on August 23, 2009, allowing it enough time to develop and refine its features.

Below is a list of oh-my-zsh plugins that I use and find to provide useful functionality.

Shell Theme

In combination with oh-my-zsh, I use Powerlevel10k as my shell theme. It's highly configurable and very appealing to the eyes.

ZSH Resource File

Below are tshe configurations for my .zshrc file, divided into two sections: macOS and Linux. The macOS configurations are tailored for macOS, while the other is designed for Linux.

You are welcome to use this resource in any manner you prefer. My intention is to offer it as a guide for structuring your own .zshrc file and to present additional configurations not detailed elsewhere in this document.

/// details | My ZSH Resource File //// tab | macOS

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-macos.zsh"

////

//// tab | Linux

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-linux.zsh"

//// ///

Oh-my-zsh Plugins

This is a list of all the oh-my-zsh plugins that I use and find to provide useful functionality.

{{ read_csv("includes/csv/oh-my-zsh-plugins.csv") }}

Custom Aliases

Below is a list of aliases that are in my .zshrc files. They are broken up into two groups: Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 contains general aliases, while Group 2 contains aliases listing categorized commands. Most of these commands are programs mentioned in Useful Programs, that I don't frequently use, but still want to have quick access to.

/// tab | macOS

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-macos-snippet.zsh:user_config"

///

/// tab | Linux

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-linux-snippet.zsh:user_config"

///

Modifying CLI Colors

The terminal colors that are used for folders, files, and other items in the command line interface can be customized using the LS_COLORS (macOS & Linux) and LSCOLORS (macOS) environment variables. If you want to modify these colors, you can do so by setting the LS_COLORS or LSCOLORS variable in your .zshrc file.

/// details | LS_COLORS & LSCOLORS Explained On macOS, both LSCOLORS and LS_COLORS are necessary for specifying terminal colors. LSCOLORS is used for commands like ls, determining the colors in the command line interface, whereas LS_COLORS is used by zsh for similar purposes. In contrast, Linux only requires LS_COLORS, which is employed by both the ls command and zsh.

The underlying reason for this difference lies in the distinct versions of the ls command on macOS (FreeBSD version) and Linux (GNU version). macOS's ls command relies on LSCOLORS for color settings, while Linux uses LS_COLORS, each with its unique formatting. Moreover, since zsh recognizes only the LS_COLORS format, it's imperative to use it on macOS to ensure proper display and functionality of CLI colors.

Included below is a key that explains the values of LSCOLORS and LS_COLORS in my configurations:

{{ read_csv("includes/csv/cli-colors-explained.csv") }}

For an in-depth understanding of LS_COLORS and LSCOLORS, I recommend visiting this gist. ///

Below are my configurations for both macOS and Linux systems. To apply these settings, simply insert the following code into your ~/.zshrc file:

/// tab | macOS

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-macos-snippet.zsh:ls_colors"

///

/// tab | Linux

--8<-- "includes/zshrc-files/zshrc-linux-snippet.zsh:ls_colors"

///

You can additionally modify the shading and appearance of the CLI colors by adjusting the ANSI-color scheme in your terminal profile. This can be done manually, with guides available for both macOS and Linux (gnome specific instructions). Alternatively, you can use my custom profile schemes, which are detailed in the Terminal Profile section.

Neovim Resource File

Due to the extensibility and community of Neovim, I have chosen it as my primary text editor, favoring it over the traditional Vi or Vim. Below are the configurations for my init.vim file, which is located in the ~/.config/nvim/ directory. The configurations are divided into two sections: with and without vim-plug plugins.

With Vim-Plug Plugins

The following configurations modify the behavior and appearance of vim. To use these settings, you'll first need to install vim-plug, a plugin manager for vim. While other vim package managers can be used, the configurations are tailored specifically for vim-plug.

After installing vim-plug, copy the code below into your ~/.config/nvim/init.vim file. With init.vim open in nvim, initiate the plugin installation by entering :source % and :PlugInstall as separate commands. This will prompt vim-plug to begin the installation of the plugins outlined in the configurations below.

/// admonition | Note When using :source %, you can ignore any errors that might occur, as they are (most likely) a result of nvim looking for the plugins that have yet to be installed. ///

/// details | Vim Plugin Information type: info Here is a list of all the plugins listed in init.vim, along with a description of what they do.

{{ read_csv("includes/csv/neovim-plugin-info.csv") }} ///

--8<-- "includes/neovim-init-files/neovim-init-vim-plug.vim"

Without Vim-Plug Plugins

If you prefer not to use all the features offered by vim-plug, you can opt for a more basic setup by incorporating the configurations listed below into your .vimrc file. These adjustments modify certain default settings of vim without altering the core functionality, providing a simpler, more streamlined experience while maintaining the essence of vim's default behavior.

--8<-- "includes/neovim-init-files/neovim-init-non-vim-plug.vim"

Neovim GitHub Copilot

...coming soon...

Installed TreeSitter Parsers

...coming soon...

Terminal Profile

/// tab | macOS My custom terminal profile is a modified version of the Basic profile that comes pre-installed on macOS. To add it to your list of profiles, follow the instructions below:

1. Download the terminal profile using the following link: Terminal Profile
2. Open a terminal window.
3. Click on Preferences... ==> Profiles ==> the gear icon at the bottom left of the window ==> Import... ==> locate and click on the 'Basic (Modified).terminal' tab
4. Click on the new terminal profile, then press the "Default" button located at the bottom of the window. ///

/// tab | Linux My custom terminal profile is a based on the Terminal Profile that I use on macOS. To add it to your list of profiles, follow the instructions below:

1. Download the terminal profile using the following link: Terminal Profile
2. Open a terminal window.
3. Enter the following command to import the profiles: dconf load /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/ < LOCATION_OF_DOWNLOADED_FILE

/// admonition | Warning type: warning Using the above dconf command will overwrite all existing profiles ///