Zsh Installation

Launchpad provides a dedicated command for installing the Zsh shell, making it easy to get a modern shell environment set up on any system.

Quick Start

Install zsh with a single command:

launchpad zsh

This will:

1. Ensure pkgx is installed (installing it if necessary)
2. Install the latest version of zsh through pkgx
3. Add the installation directory to your PATH
4. Provide instructions for making zsh your default shell

Installation Options

Basic Installation

# Install zsh with default settings
launchpad zsh

Custom Installation Path

# Install to a specific directory
launchpad zsh --path ~/my-shell

# Install to a system directory
launchpad zsh --path /usr/local

Force Reinstallation

# Force reinstall even if zsh is already installed
launchpad zsh --force

Disable Auto-PATH

# Install without automatically adding to PATH
launchpad zsh --no-auto-path

Verbose Output

# See detailed installation information
launchpad zsh --verbose

Making Zsh Your Default Shell

After installation, you'll want to make zsh your default shell. Launchpad provides helpful instructions after installation:

Using the Installed Zsh

# Find the path to your installed zsh
which zsh

# Make it your default shell (replace with actual path)
chsh -s /path/to/installed/bin/zsh

Using System Zsh

If you prefer to use the system's zsh (if available):

chsh -s /bin/zsh

Verification

After installation and shell change, verify everything is working:

# Check zsh version
zsh --version

# Check your current shell
echo $SHELL

# Start a new zsh session
zsh

Configuration

Once zsh is installed and set as your default shell, you might want to:

1. Install a framework like Oh My Zsh or Prezto
2. Configure your .zshrc file
3. Install plugins for enhanced functionality

Oh My Zsh Installation

# Install Oh My Zsh (after zsh is your default shell)
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Troubleshooting

Permission Issues

If you encounter permission issues:

# Use sudo if installing to system directories
sudo launchpad zsh --path /usr/local

PATH Issues

If zsh isn't found after installation:

# Check if the bin directory is in your PATH
echo $PATH

# Manually add to PATH if needed
export PATH="/path/to/zsh/bin:$PATH"

# Add to your shell configuration permanently
echo 'export PATH="/path/to/zsh/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc

Shell Change Issues

If chsh doesn't work:

1. Make sure the zsh path is in /etc/shells:

   # Add your zsh path to allowed shells
   echo "/path/to/zsh/bin/zsh" | sudo tee -a /etc/shells

2. Try changing shell as root:

   sudo chsh -s /path/to/zsh/bin/zsh $USER

Comparison with Other Installation Methods

Method	Pros	Cons
Launchpad	Simple, cross-platform, automatic PATH management	Requires pkgx
Package Manager	System integration	Platform-specific, may need sudo
From Source	Latest features	Complex, time-consuming

Advanced Usage

Multiple Zsh Versions

You can install zsh to different paths for testing:

# Install stable version
launchpad zsh --path ~/zsh-stable

# Install to another location for testing
launchpad zsh --path ~/zsh-test --force

Integration with Development Environments

Zsh works great with Launchpad's dev-aware installations:

# Install dev package for project-specific environments
launchpad dev

# Use zsh in your development workflow
cd your-project
dev .