Install Git Bash with ZSH, OH MY ZSH & POWERLEVEL10K | Windows Guide

1. Download & Install Git Bash

2. Download & Install ZSH

1. Download & Install Nerd Font

https://www.nerdfonts.com/font-downloads. You can choose & install your own fonts style by viewing https://www.programmingfonts.org. In this guide I'm using EnvyCodeR Nerd Font Mono https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/releases/download/v3.1.0/EnvyCodeR.zip.

2. Download the latest zsh package

https://packages.msys2.org/package/zsh?repo=msys&variant=x86_64

Example:

zsh-5.9-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

The package is compacted using zst, so we need some "special" extractor.
In my case, I've downloaded this file https://mirror.msys2.org/msys/x86_64/zsh-5.9-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst And extracted it using the Peazip. https://peazip.github.io/zst-compressed-file-format.html.

3. Extract the content to your git bash installation dir

By default in "C:\Program Files\Git"

4. Test it and configure zsh

Open git bash and type:

zsh

This is a important step, zsh will ask a few configurations, like the tab completion, history, etc. Please read the options and set the config to your use.

5. Edit the `~/.minttyrc` file. (create it if it doesn't exist)

BoldAsFont=no
Font=EnvyCodeR Nerd Font Mono
FontHeight=14
Columns=180
Rows=46
ScrollbackLines=2000
BackgroundColour=13,13,13
MiddleClickAction=void
RightClickAction=paste
Language=
BellType=0
BellFlash=yes
Printer=Microsoft Print to PDF
Transparency=off
CursorBlinks=yes
ThemeFile=nord
ForegroundColour=178,178,178
CursorColour=225,225,225
FontSmoothing=full
Locale=en_US
Charset=UTF-8
Term=xterm-256color
BoldAsColour=no
CursorType=block

6. Configure git-prompt.sh

If you get this message:

ERROR: this script is obsolete, please see git-completion.zsh

It is because etc\profile.d\git-prompt.sh does not check the shell before including git-completion.bash. To fix it you can create an empty file:

mkdir ~/.config/git

echo "" > ~/.config/git/git-prompt.sh

3 Configuring zsh

a. zsh as standalone shell

edit /etc/zsh/zshenv and add this line at the begining of the file:

PATH=/mingw64/bin/usr/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:$PATH

b. Configuring zsh as default shell when launching Git Bash

Edit the `C:\Program FIles\Git\etc\bash.bashrc> file

Add the following lines at the end of the file

# Get user bash configuration ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc;

Edit the `~/.bashrc` file. (create it if it doesn't exist)

Add the following lines at the end of the file

# Launch Zsh
if [ -t 1 ]; then
exec zsh
fi

Close and open again the git bash

4. Install Zsh plugins

install zsh-autosuggestions plugin

Install & Run

git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions

source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh

edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
  ...
  zsh-autosuggestions
)

install zsh-syntax-highlighting plugin

Install & Run

 git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting

source $ZSH/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh

edit ~/.zshrc file

plugins=( 
    ...
    zsh-syntax-highlighting
)

5. Install oh-my-zsh

execute the following cmd on git bash

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

6. Install Powerlevel10k

1. Install Powerlevel10k

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

2. Restart Zsh

exec zsh

3. Configuration Wizard

if the configuration wizard doesn't start automatically, type:

p10k configure

So, this step is important, the p10k will ask a few configurations for the theme.
Please read the options and set that according to your use.

Optional

Add zsh as Vscode default terminal

1. Add this section to the VS Code `settings.json` file

a. For Git Bash with Zsh as default shell

"terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
  "Git Zsh": {
    "path": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",
    "args": []
  }
}

b. For zsh standalone shell

"terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
  "Git Zsh": {
    "path": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin\\zsh.exe",
    "args": []
  }
}

2. Change the default shell in the same file

"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Git Zsh",

3. Change the font to nerd font

"terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "'EnvyCodeR Nerd Font Mono'",

Add Zsh shell as Windows Terminal default

    "defaultProfile": "{2ece5bfe-50ed-5f3a-ab87-5cd4baafed2b}",
    "profiles": 
    {
        "defaults": 
        {
            "colorScheme": "Dracula",
            "font": 
            {
                "face": "EnvyCodeR Nerd Font Mono",
                "size": 13.0
            }
        },
        "list": 
        [   
            {
                "guid": "{2ece5bfe-50ed-5f3a-ab87-5cd4baafed2b}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Git Bash",
                "source": "Git"
            },
            {
                "commandline": "\"C:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin\\zsh.exe\"",
                "guid": "{e6e5aa33-9fe2-4a7c-b60f-249f09413300}",
                "hidden": false,
                "icon": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin\\zsh.exe",
                "name": "Git Zsh",
                "startingDirectory": "%USERPROFILE%"
            }
        ]
    },
    "schemes": 
    [
        {
            "background": "#282A36",
            "black": "#21222C",
            "blue": "#BD93F9",
            "brightBlack": "#6272A4",
            "brightBlue": "#D6ACFF",
            "brightCyan": "#A4FFFF",
            "brightGreen": "#69FF94",
            "brightPurple": "#FF92DF",
            "brightRed": "#FF6E6E",
            "brightWhite": "#FFFFFF",
            "brightYellow": "#FFFFA5",
            "cursorColor": "#F8F8F2",
            "cyan": "#8BE9FD",
            "foreground": "#F8F8F2",
            "green": "#50FA7B",
            "name": "Dracula",
            "purple": "#FF79C6",
            "red": "#FF5555",
            "selectionBackground": "#44475A",
            "white": "#F8F8F2",
            "yellow": "#F1FA8C"
        },
    ],

mohnasir-gh/install-zsh-windows-git-bash.md