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zsh VS explainshell

Compare zsh VS explainshell and see what are their differences

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zsh logo zsh

The Z shell (Zsh) is a Unix shell that can be used as an interactive login shell and as a powerful command interpreter for shell scripting.

explainshell logo explainshell

Match command-line arguments to their help.
  • zsh Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-09
  • explainshell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-07

zsh features and specs

  • Powerful Scripting
    zsh offers advanced scripting capabilities, including features like associative arrays, floating-point arithmetic, and powerful loops and conditionals, making it ideal for complex scripting tasks.
  • Customizability
    zsh provides extensive customization options. Users can personalize prompts, key bindings, and much more using various modules and plugins, such as oh-my-zsh.
  • Plugin Ecosystem
    The support for plugins in zsh, especially through frameworks like oh-my-zsh, allows users to easily add functionalities and enhance the shell experience, offering a rich ecosystem of community-contributed plugins.
  • Auto-suggestions and Command Correction
    zsh features intelligent auto-suggestions and command correction capabilities, which can drastically improve efficiency and reduce errors while typing commands.
  • Compatibility with Bash
    zsh is largely compatible with bash, meaning most bash scripts and commands will run without modification, facilitating a smoother transition for users migrating from bash.

Possible disadvantages of zsh

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and customizability, zsh can be overwhelming for new users, requiring time to learn and configure effectively.
  • Initial Configuration
    Setting up zsh for the first time can be more complex compared to simpler shells like bash, especially when including frameworks like oh-my-zsh, which can require additional configuration.
  • Performance Overhead
    Loading many plugins and customizations can introduce a performance hit, making zsh slower to start compared to more lightweight shells.
  • Resource Consumption
    zsh, particularly with extensive customizations and plugins, can consume more system resources (memory and CPU) than simpler shells like bash.
  • Inconsistent Behavior with Legacy Scripts
    While zsh is largely compatible with bash, certain edge cases and legacy scripts might exhibit inconsistent behavior, potentially necessitating script rewrites or adjustments.

explainshell features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Explainshell provides a clean and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users with different experience levels.
  • Command Line Breakdown
    It breaks down complex command-line statements into simpler parts, explaining each part's function in detail.
  • Educational Tool
    Serves as a great learning resource for beginners and intermediate users who want to understand shell commands in depth.
  • Library of Commands
    Leverages the extensive `man` page collection to provide detailed explanations of a wide variety of commands.
  • Web-Based Accessibility
    Being a web-based tool, it is accessible from any device with an internet connection, without needing any additional software installation.

Possible disadvantages of explainshell

  • Dependency on `man` Pages
    The tool relies on `man` pages for explanations, which might not cover all edge cases or the latest versions of commands.
  • Internet Requirement
    Requires an internet connection to use, limiting its accessibility in offline scenarios.
  • Limited to Shell Commands
    Focused solely on shell commands, it doesn't cover other scripting languages or programming environments.
  • No Live Execution
    Cannot execute commands or provide real-time feedback; it's purely an explanatory tool.
  • Potential Outdated Information
    The explanations might occasionally be based on older versions of `man` pages, potentially missing out on new features or changes.

Analysis of explainshell

Overall verdict

  • Explainshell is generally well-regarded and beneficial for users who work with shell commands. It simplifies understanding, reduces errors, and can be an invaluable learning resource.

Why this product is good

  • Explainshell is considered a good tool because it provides detailed explanations of shell commands by breaking them down into individual components and offering descriptions for each part. This can be incredibly helpful for both beginners learning how to use shell commands and experienced users looking to understand complex command structures. The service pulls in documentation from the man pages, making it a reliable and comprehensive resource.

Recommended for

  • Beginners looking to learn shell commands
  • Developers and system administrators who frequently use the command line
  • Anyone seeking to understand complex shell command structures
  • Learners improving their scripting and command-line skills

zsh videos

+ Add

Working with Linux - Terminal, Zsh & Oh My Zsh

More videos:

  • Review - ZSH | A Better Shell
  • Review - You Really Don't Need Oh My Zsh And Here's Why (Rant)

explainshell videos

No explainshell videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to zsh and explainshell)

zsh

explainshell

Cryptocurrencies
100 100%
Cryptocurrencies
0% 0
Productivity
0 0%
Productivity
100% 100
Blockchain
100 100%
Blockchain
0% 0
Mac
0 0%
Mac
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using zsh and explainshell. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, explainshell seems to be a lot more popular than zsh. While we know about 112 links to explainshell, we've tracked only 1 mention of zsh. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

zsh mentions (1)

  • My developer workflow using WSL, tmux and Neovim
    Ubuntu by default comes with the bash shell. Bash is great but I personally find it harder to customize. That is why I use Z shell, more commonly known as zsh. To manage my zsh configuration, I use Oh My Zsh. It has a huge community and makes it trivial to install and use plugins. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago

explainshell mentions (112)

  • 15 bash scripts to automate boring DevOps tasks so you can go play Elden Ring instead
    Explainshell paste a bash command and it explains every part. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Linux for Non-Techies: A Simple Guide to Getting Comfortable
    Explainshell.com (Explains any Linux command). - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • If OpenSSL Were a GUI
    I've found this tool handy for faster-than-man explanations of various CLI invocations: https://explainshell.com/ Sadly, it hasn't been updated in years. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • The bash book to rule them all
    Https://explainshell.com/ also is good for explaining commands. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • The bash book to rule them all
    Https://explainshell.com/ can help with that but isn't perfect. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing zsh and explainshell, you can also consider the following products

fish shell - The friendly interactive shell.

cheat.sh - The only cheat sheet you need Unified access to the best community driven documentation

GNU Bourne Again SHell - Bash is the shell, or command language interpreter, that will appear in the GNU operating system.

cheat - Cheat allows you to create and view interactive cheatsheets on the command-line.

PowerShell Plus - Learn how to learn and master PowerShell fast with an interactive learning center, a powerful IDE, pre-loaded scripts, and a PowerShell Editor… all for free.

regular expressions 101 - Extensive regex tester and debugger with highlighting for PHP, PCRE, Python and JavaScript.

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