: How to check if you are using bash or zsh mac By default, Apple switched the default shell from Bash to Zsh (Z shell) starting with macOS Catalina (10. Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. Here’s how you can see your default shell and change it if you like. Apr 15, 2014 · Agreed; . While macOS ships with the reliable bash shell, Zsh offers advanced functionality and customization options that make it worth upgrading to. Alternatively, you can change the default shell graphically in System Settings under Users & Groups by Ctrl-Clicking your profile picture and selecting "Advanced Mar 26, 2024 · To switch from zsh to bash, enter the bash command in your Terminal and click Enter. Despite this shift, Bash remains widely used and relevant due to its familiarity and extensive Dec 29, 2021 · Recent versions of macOS now use zsh as the default command line shell. In macOS Catalina, Apple changed the default shell to ZSH for this reason. Learn "shell", prefer bash Make sure you install a modern version of bash Make sure when you put a #! xxx shebang at the start of a script it references the shell you are actually targeting (so sh for posix, bash for bash, zsh for zsh) Don't configure your system to use bash as a default shell, learn to live with and understand differences. Asuming it is bash I assume it using the normal profile files in your home directory and the /etc. A project. See this question which answer mostly points to the invocation section of man bash " When bash is invoked as an interactive login shell, or as a non-interactive shell with the --login option, it first reads and executes commands from the file /etc/profile, if that file exists. Aug 10, 2021 · Check with the homebrew community to see if they support dual installs on your Mac. Nov 26, 2024 · Once you have bash working on your computer, you can then use it to install any other shell environment of your choice, including zsh, ksh, and a host of others. Are you looking to enhance your terminal and command-line workflow on Mac? Then setting Zsh as the default shell is an impactful upgrade. Alternatively, you can use a different terminal such as iTerm2 and configure it to use zsh by default. bash_profile in order to sync it with my other computers. I was looking at the requirements to get homebrew setup, noticed it required bash, and then found out the default shell on OSX is zsh. bash_profile has to do for bash what . However, for those who prefer the bash shell, changing the default shell on macOS is a relatively simple process. The name of the shell the Mac is using is displayed in the output. That link provides good information on what should go where. © 2023. bash_profile is symbolic linked to ~/Dropbox/. While Zsh is a powerful and feature-rich shell, some users might prefer Bash for its simplicity, familiarity, or compatibility with existing scripts and tools Mar 12, 2022 · What is Zsh Shell? What is the default shell for your Mac running macOS? Lets see in this tutorial. In this comprehensive 2800+ word […] Aug 2, 2023 · Switch from Zsh to Bash on Mac using one of the two methods described in this article. Discover how to easily determine if you're using bash or zsh. What is the proper way to detect the operating system in a Bash script? Dec 3, 2023 · Introduction Zsh replaced Bash as macOS’s default terminal shell in macOS Catalina. 15). Open the Terminal application on your Mac. Mar 18, 2011 · There are two really simple ways: Using ps command: ps -o comm= $$ or ps -h -o comm -p $$ where: -h or finishing all options with = for not showing any header. zsh shell (Z-Shell) is getting popular as macOS Big Sur has it as the default shell. Maybe does it cause the issue? 17 To know which shell are you using, use the following command: $ echo $SHELL It will return something like: /bin/bash or /bin/zsh After you know the shell, if the file . It seems like it should be possible, but I seem to remember somethings saying that they did not support it. , there are still use cases where Bash may prove helpful in the macOS terminal. Type any one of the following command to find os name and version in Linux: cat /etc/os-release. I've never really used zsh and was planning on making bash my default shell. On macOS, the default shell is Zsh, introduced in macOS Catalina. zshrc is loaded properly. Sep 24, 2023 · ZSH, an extended version of the Bourne Shell, offers new features, such as automatic cd, spelling correction, themes, and plugins. , the Terminal on a Mac, the Ubuntu subsystem on Windows, or a terminal window on a Linux machine), as discussed in our Basics of UNIX tutorial. Choose Terminal > Settings, then click General. While Zsh offers many modern Nov 24, 2024 · As a professional software engineer and coding instructor with over 15 years of experience, I‘ve come to master the art of customizing my terminal into a productive power tool. See full list on tecadmin. To switch back to zsh, type zsh Sep 23, 2023 · Zsh is already installed. Each shell supports a configuration file in your macOS Home folder that gets read every time you open a new terminal window (or tab). You can tell from the terminal window. bashrc or . However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. By the end, you‘ll have all the knowledge needed to unlock Zsh‘s incredible productivity benefits! Getting Started with Zsh on macOS First things first – let‘s get Zsh running with the basic zsh command Feb 15, 2023 · If you’ve just upgraded macOS and seen a message that says, 'The default interactive shell is now zsh', we’ll tell you why and what to do about it. " To install ZSH on Fedora, "run sudo dnf install zsh" then switch the shell by entering "zsh" in the Navigate the world of command lines effortlessly. Apr 28, 2016 · This is what is happening to you, one of the parent processes of your tcsh session was bash. zlogin together do for zsh. If you are using the bash shell and want to have the same auto-complete as zsh, create a ~/. You’ll have to re-run that command whenever you want to use bash instead of zsh. However, the default shell is bash. The tutorial covers steps for the CLI and GUI methods. Jan 10, 2025 · How to Change the Default Shell to Bash on macOS macOS has come a long way in terms of shell usage and command-line operations. For example, you may need to be using the bash shell to . " message when you switch from zsh to bash. Nov 19, 2021 · If you do decide to switch back to bash, then you should put the following in your . Using the /proc process information pseudo-file system: cat /proc/$$/comm This option behaves exactly as Jun 8, 2023 · I noticed that my default shell set to zsh on Macos Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey/Ventura. Discover how to download a bash terminal for mac os and enhance your coding journey. In a networked environment, a system administrator can specify the default shell. How do I change my default shell to bash on Macos Catalina or above using the command line or GUI options? A Unix shell is nothing but a program that accepts Unix commands from the keyboard and executes them. However, beginning with macOS Catalina, Apple transitioned the default shell to Zsh. So why is it not loaded whenever I run bash from within zsh? My ~/. Feb 2, 2024 · Terminal application is one of the most important, if not, the most important application in MacOS. Jun 21, 2025 · Setting up your macOS shell environment properly is crucial for an efficient development workflow. Installing ZSH on Ubuntu or other Debian-based distros is as simple as running "sudo apt install zsh" and changing the default shell using "chsh -s $ (which zsh). Oh My Zsh is a delightful, open source, community-driven framework for managing your Zsh configuration. Creating a Bash/Zsh Script Option 1: Open up the Terminal On macOS, use Cmd+Space to open spotlight search then start typing ‘Terminal’. You'll find it useful if you need to write scripts that run on many different computers. How can I definitively determine if the currently running shell is bash or zsh? (being able to disambiguate between additional shells is a bonus, but only bash & zsh are 100% necessary) I've Aug 29, 2023 · Apple now uses Zsh as the default shell on macOS, but the old Bash shell is still included and easily switchable. Or at least I should be on Wednesday. Next to “Shells open with,” select “Command (complete path),” then enter the complete path to the shell you want to use. Note that launching a new Bourne shell family wouldn't have changed either the SHELL variable if set. But Catalina replaced it with zsh. lsb_release -a. zprofile/. bash_profile has been replaced with ~/. Go to the Terminal app on your Mac. Hit Enter when it pops up. If bash is started with the SHELL variable unset, it sets it to the path to bash, despite what its documentation states. A key reason many programmers switch is all the different Dec 27, 2023 · In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the simple command to start using Zsh on macOS. inputrc configuration file containing the following: # Ignore case for auto-complete Apr 11, 2025 · Bash comes standard on most Linux systems and older Mac versions. There are several reasons you might want to do this. bash_login files in version control so that I can use them between all the computers I use. What is zsh and bash? Zsh (Z Shell) is a powerful shell that incorporates features from bash, ksh, and tcsh, offering advanced capabilities like improved tab completion and globbing. Aside from this, I don't quite see why you want to query this in a script. Jan 13, 2022 · For instance, login shells are sometimes invoked under a different name (-zsh instead of zsh is frequently used), and if you invoke a shell via a symlink, $0 contains that symlink path. It comes bundled with thousands of helpful functions, helpers, plugins, themes, and a few things that make you shout "Oh My ZSH!" Install oh-my-zsh 🔋 batteries included. This article teaches you how to switch to Bash […] Apr 23, 2014 · For some reasons, when I set my login shell to bash, and enter zsh from within bash, then ~/. macOS's Terminal allows you to specify the shell in its preferences. zshrc # Add zsh-syntax-highlighting and plugins=(zsh-autosuggestions zsh-syntax-highlighting zsh-completions) 5: Installing other Zsh themes We have a guide on top Zsh themes you can install not provided by Oh-my-Zsh framework: Best Terminal Shell Prompts for Zsh, Bash and Fish Install Spaceship theme Install using brew: brew install Aug 24, 2022 · How to check shell version on Mac Mac has bash and zsh the profile for bash and zsh is different, sometimes we want to change path on profile files, but in order to find which file to change, we Apr 9, 2025 · 3 Accessing the shell This tutorial assumes you already have access to a basic bash shell on a computer with network access (e. In previous macOS versions, the default was Bash. Once configured, ZSH supercharges your terminal with handy features for developers and power users. Aug 4, 2025 · Key Takeaways ZSH provides significant productivity improvements over default shells through auto-completion, syntax highlighting, and plugin support Installation is straightforward across all major operating systems using package managers Setting ZSH as your default shell requires the chsh command and a session restart The . As an experienced Linux administrator, I often work with both the Bash and Zsh shells. hostnamectl. New Mac user here. Learn how to block caller phone numbers on your iPhone. If you’re in that camp, this guide will walk you through the steps to switch from zsh to bash on your Mac and how to make bash your default shell. Since macOS Catalina, Apple has made Zsh the default shell, replacing Bash. Although MacOS has several built-in shells, most of the time users use either zsh or bash shells Jan 15, 2021 · Every new Mac uses the (Zsh) by default, but you can quickly and easily switch the default shell back to Bash. It acts as a bridge between the user and the system’s services. Dec 27, 2023 · Have you ever wondered what shell environment you‘re running in on your Linux or Unix system? Whether you need to check for script compatibility, customize prompts, or simply want to learn – knowing key details about your default shell is essential. Nov 30, 2021 · This does work, but each time you type zsh or bash you are going into a sub-shell (subprocess under current shell). g. To change your default shell from Zsh to Bash, simply run the "chsh -s /bin/bash" command in Terminal and reopen it. While Zsh is in many ways superior to Bash, thanks to its floating-point support, hash data structures, customization options, etc. And Bash is great – it gets the job done on basic terminal tasks. You will need to type exit a number of times to return to the top-most shell. You can switch from zsh to bash on macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and Catalina after reading. Zsh builds on what Bash offers but adds many customization options and helpful features that make your life easier. Dec 12, 2024 · Why ZSH Over Bash Most operating systems like MacOS default to using Bash as the command line shell. We‘ll compare Zsh to Bash, see configuration examples, discuss plugins, and much more. bashrc and . The problem is I have some OS specific aliases so I was looking for a way to determine if the script is running on Mac OS X, Linux or Cygwin. By default, it is set to use your login shell, but it looks like you've overridden it to use Bash. This post is going to describe how to switch from the zsh shell to the bash shell. Before Starting You should be familiar with using the macOS Terminal command line. Apr 17, 2020 · Now that I've upgraded to Catalina and I am using the new ZSH shell, I've noticed that ~/. When it comes to using the command line on macOS, the default shell is often a matter of personal preference. At the prompt, type echo $0, as shown below. But for the rest of the shell configuration, you can just put IF/THEN statements in your shell profile to configure your environment differently depending on which Terminal you are in. -p <PID> list only process whith PID form list suplied. What is my default shell?. Why? Can I switch it back? If so, how? Does it make sense to do so? Any gotchas? Nov 27, 2025 · This post guide you to change the default shell from zsh to bash on Mac step by step. zshrc configuration file controls all ZSH behavior and customization 841 I would like to keep my . Made with 🌶️ in . zshrc doesn't exist in your home directory (echo $HOME to find out), just create it. -o comm for showing only the process basename (bash instead of /bin/bash). But bash won’t be your default shell if you do that. But by using Homebrew, you can install the latest version of Bash and use its features. 15), Apple set the default shell to the Z shell (zsh). If I do that, will I be missing out on much? Has anyone gone bash, and then realized you prefer zsh? Are any other shells more Oct 10, 2021 · Check os version in Linux Open the terminal application (bash shell) For remote server login using the ssh: ssh user@server-name. Sep 6, 2023 · I felt comfortable using bash shell on MacOS. It's everywhere, works the same way across different systems, and follows standard rules. On Ubuntu, use Ctrl+Alt+T Change directory into the folder you want the Bash script to be in using cd cd stands for ‘change directory’ Once you’ve typed cd followed by a space into the terminal, use Tab to auto-complete Jun 8, 2019 · If you use XQuartz to run any X11 applications but have trouble running them under zsh, you might want to check this Apple discussion about running them under bash instead. Sep 16, 2024 · Learn how to create and run 'Bash' and 'Zsh' scripts on Linux and macOS to automate tasks, enhance productivity, and streamline workflows with detailed examples. This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring environment variables, managing shell profiles, and setting up aliases for optimal productivity. zprofile and since installing iTerm2 shell integration, it added a ~/. Dec 27, 2023 · In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn: The history behind shells on Mac OSX and why Zsh became the default Key reasons for switching from Zsh to Bash Step-by-step instructions for changing shells How to customize Bash to suit your workflows Tips for avoiding issues down the road Ready to unlock the power of Bash on Mac? Let‘s get started! A Brief History of Shells on MacOS To Feb 28, 2015 · For me, I have zsh installed and it's the current default, to change to bash, all I have to do type bash in the terminal. Bash on Mac What is Bash on Mac? On macOS, Bash has traditionally been the default shell environment, allowing users to harness the capabilities of Unix commands. Starting with macOS Catalina (10. However, Apple replaced Bourne Again SHell To change your shell to Bash on a Mac, you can use the following command in the Terminal: chsh -s /bin/bash Understanding Shells on macOS A shell is a program that provides an interface for users to interact with the operating system. bash_profile export BASH_SILENCE_DEPRECATION_WARNING=1 which will keep macOS from complaining that you are using bash, and annoy you with requests to switch to zsh. I found this to be a good way to get familiar with zsh while still having bash as the default in the Mac terminal. Feb 14, 2025 · $ vim ~/. To set bash as your default login shell and interactive shell on macOS, follow these steps: Open the Terminal app. However, ZSH offers more flexibility and customization options. If you want to know which version of zsh shell is installed on your macOS/UNIX or Linux operating system you can do that by the below steps, Apr 19, 2023 · Did you know that you can change the shell that you use in Terminal on your Mac? Learn how in this guide. Type the following command to find Linux kernel version: uname -r. Mar 13, 2022 · A detailed guide to find out which shell you're using, and how to switch from one shell to another, such as from bash to zsh. Jan 13, 2020 · macOS ships with an older version of the Bash shell, because newer versions use a license that makes it more difficult for Apple to integrate into their OS. Nov 27, 2025 · This post tells you how to clear Terminal history on Mac forever or temporarily for the current session, applying to both Zsh and Bash shells. net Jan 22, 2021 · There’s an easy way to tell — here’s how. . For many users, the default shell that comes with macOS, zsh, is perfectly adequate for their needs. I typically use the bash shell on Linux servers, so I prefer using it on my Mac. Mac OS already has zsh installed. zshenv and . This guide simplifies the process with quick tips and clear examples. For a long time, the bash was a default shell in macOS. If you write a script, you know what language you are using. After reading that As you can see above, I was on the bash shell ($) before and typing zsh switched me to Z Shell (%) ️ Since macOS Catalina Zsh is the default shell, you might see "The default interactive shell is now zsh.

How to check if you are using bash or zsh mac. But Catalina replaced it with zsh.