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Prezto

A configuration framework that adds sane defaults, aliases, completion and themes to Zsh.

GitHub Download source
Stars
14.6k
Forks
4.4k
Licence
MIT
Language
Shell
Last update
7 months ago
Type
Framework

What it is

Prezto is a configuration framework for Zsh, the command-line shell. It sets up the terminal with sensible defaults, aliases, functions, auto completion, and prompt themes so you do not have to build them yourself. Many features are turned off by default, and you enable modules by editing a configuration file.

  • Switch your default shell to Zsh and load Prezto's defaults for a more usable terminal
  • Pick a prompt theme with the prompt command and preview it before loading it
  • Enable specific modules in your Zsh settings file to add features such as git-related symbols in the prompt
  • Update Prezto with the zprezto-update command

Great for

  • People who use Zsh and want a ready-made starting configuration
  • Users who want to turn on features like completion and prompt themes by choosing modules
  • People comfortable editing shell config files and using Git

Not ideal for

  • Users who want a point-and-click setup, since installation and setup are done through the command line and config files
  • People who do not use Zsh (the README is specific to Zsh; minimum version 4.3.11)
  • Users who want a lot of features on by default, since the README says many are disabled until you enable them
Step-by-step guide: how to use PreztoInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
Oh My Zsh vs PreztoBash-it vs Prezto

How to get it

  1. 1

    Clone and build from source

    You'll need: Zsh 4.3.11 or newer · Git

    Clone the repository

    git clone --recursive https://github.com/sorin-ionescu/prezto.git "${ZDOTDIR:-$HOME}/.zprezto"

    Set Zsh as your default shell

    chsh -s /bin/zsh
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Clone the repository into your home directory as shown in the README
    • Create your Zsh configuration files by linking the provided runcoms (or add a source line to your existing .zshrc)
    • Set Zsh as your default shell and open a new terminal window
    • List available themes with prompt -l and preview one with prompt -p name
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Browse the modules directory and add the ones you need to your .zpreztorc file
    • Use prompt -l and prompt -p name to find a theme, then load it in .zpreztorc
    • Add the git module if you want the special prompt symbols shown in the theme example
    • Use zprezto-update to keep Prezto current
    • Add extra module folders through the pmodule-dirs setting if you write your own modules

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHub

Strengths

  • Provides a configurable base for Zsh with defaults, aliases, functions, completion and themes
  • Modules let you load only the features you need
  • Updating is handled by a built-in command, with the README describing how conflicts are handled

Trade-offs

  • Many features are disabled by default, so you must read the docs and source to find what is available
  • Some prompt symbols need the git module, which is an extra setup step
  • The README is brief and says little beyond installation, modules and themes

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
prezto (this)14.6kFrameworkbeginner7 months agoPeople who use Zsh and want a ready-made starting configuration
ohmyzsh190kDev toolbeginner4 days agoPeople who already use zsh and want a ready-made configuration without writing it from scratch
pure14.5kDev toolbeginner30 days agoDevelopers who use zsh and want a simple, readable prompt
spaceship-prompt20.6kDev toolbeginner11 days agoZsh users who want useful information in their prompt without much setup
autocomplete25.2kOtherintermediate1.5 years agomacOS developers who use zsh, bash or fish and want suggestions for common CLIs
zoxide40.4kDev toolbeginner5 days agoDevelopers who move between many project folders in a terminal

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.