Fish Shell vs Zsh (Z shell): What are the differences?

Introduction

Fish Shell and Zsh are both popular Unix shells that provide an enhanced command-line interface. While they share many similarities, there are some key differences between the two. In this article, we will outline six major differences between Fish Shell and Zsh.

1. Syntax and Autocompletion: Fish Shell has a simpler and more intuitive syntax compared to Zsh. It provides a visual autocomplete feature that displays suggestions as you type, making it easier to write commands. On the other hand, Zsh has a more complex syntax and offers customizable autocompletion options, allowing users to fine-tune their shell according to their specific needs.

2. Default Configuration: Fish Shell comes with a minimalistic and beginner-friendly default configuration. It aims to be more user-friendly out of the box with features like color highlighting and improved error messages. In contrast, Zsh has a more comprehensive default configuration and offers advanced functionality, such as path expansion and command history manipulation, making it more suitable for power users.

3. Plugin Ecosystem: Zsh has a vast and well-established plugin ecosystem, including popular frameworks like Oh-My-Zsh. This allows users to easily extend and customize their shell environment with various plugins and themes. Fish Shell, while also having a plugin ecosystem, is relatively smaller and less mature compared to Zsh.

4. Scripting Language: Fish Shell uses its own scripting language, which is more straightforward and easier to learn for beginners. It aims to provide a more consistent and user-friendly scripting experience. On the other hand, Zsh is compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) syntax and supports a wide range of scripting languages, making it more suitable for advanced scripting tasks.

5. Compatibility: Zsh is designed to be more backward compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) and the Korn shell (ksh). This means that shell scripts written for the Bourne or Korn shells are more likely to work seamlessly in Zsh without requiring any modifications. Fish Shell, being a more modern and alternative shell, may require some adaptation of existing shell scripts for compatibility.

6. Licensing: Fish Shell is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which ensures its continued availability and allows for modifications and redistribution. On the other hand, Zsh is released under a permissive license (zsh license), which also allows modifications and redistribution but without the strong copyleft requirements of the GPL.

In summary, Fish Shell provides a simpler syntax, beginner-friendly defaults, and a user-friendly scripting language but has a smaller plugin ecosystem and may require more adaptation for compatibility. Zsh offers a more customizable and feature-rich experience with a wider range of plugins and better backward compatibility with existing shell scripts.