zsh-syntax-highlighting [![Build Status][build-status-image]][build-status] ======================= **[Fish shell][fish]-like syntax highlighting for [Zsh][zsh].** *Requirements: zsh 4.3.11+.* [fish]: https://fishshell.com/ [zsh]: https://www.zsh.org/ This package provides syntax highlighting for the shell zsh. It enables highlighting of commands whilst they are typed at a zsh prompt into an interactive terminal. This helps in reviewing commands before running them, particularly in catching syntax errors. Some examples: Before: [](images/before1.png) <br/> After: [](images/after1.png) Before: [](images/before2.png) <br/> After: [](images/after2.png) Before: [](images/before3.png) <br/> After: [](images/after3.png) Before: [](images/before4-smaller.png) <br/> After: [](images/after4-smaller.png) How to install -------------- See [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md). FAQ --- ### Why must `zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh` be sourced at the end of the `.zshrc` file? zsh-syntax-highlighting works by hooking into the Zsh Line Editor (ZLE) and computing syntax highlighting for the command-line buffer as it stands at the time z-sy-h's hook is invoked. In zsh 5.2 and older, `zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh` hooks into ZLE by wrapping ZLE widgets. It must be sourced after all custom widgets have been created (i.e., after all `zle -N` calls and after running `compinit`) in order to be able to wrap all of them. Widgets created after z-sy-h is sourced will work, but will not update the syntax highlighting. In zsh newer than 5.8 (not including 5.8 itself), zsh-syntax-highlighting uses the `add-zle-hook-widget` facility to install a `zle-line-pre-redraw` hook. Hooks are run in order of registration, therefore, z-sy-h must be sourced (and register its hook) after anything else that adds hooks that modify the command-line buffer. ### Does syntax highlighting work during incremental history search? Highlighting the command line during an incremental history search (by default bound to to <kbd>Ctrl+R</kbd> in zsh's emacs keymap) requires zsh 5.4 or newer. Under zsh versions older than 5.4, the zsh-default [underlining][zshzle-Character-Highlighting] of the matched portion of the buffer remains available, but zsh-syntax-highlighting's additional highlighting is unavailable. (Those versions of zsh do not provide enough information to allow computing the highlighting correctly.) See issues [#288][i288] and [#415][i415] for details. [zshzle-Character-Highlighting]: https://zsh.sourceforge.io/Doc/Release/Zsh-Line-Editor.html#Character-Highlighting [i288]: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting/pull/288 [i415]: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting/pull/415 ### How are new releases announced? There is currently no "push" announcements channel. However, the following alternatives exist: - GitHub's RSS feed of releases: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting/releases.atom - An anitya entry: https://release-monitoring.org/project/7552/ How to tweak ------------ Syntax highlighting is done by pluggable highlighter scripts. See the [documentation on highlighters](docs/highlighters.md) for details and configuration settings. [build-status]: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting/actions [build-status-image]: https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting/workflows/Tests/badge.svg