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zsh VS Windows Command Prompt

Compare zsh VS Windows Command Prompt 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.

Windows Command Prompt logo Windows Command Prompt

Windows Console Emulator, Far Manager plugins.
  • zsh Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-09
  • Windows Command Prompt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

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.

Windows Command Prompt features and specs

  • Widely Supported
    The Windows Command Prompt is a built-in tool available on nearly all Windows operating systems, ensuring wide compatibility and availability without the need for installation.
  • Simple to Use
    The Windows Command Prompt offers a straightforward interface for executing basic commands, making it accessible even to users with minimal experience with command-line interfaces.
  • Automation and Scripting
    Users can automate repetitive tasks and execute batch scripts, improving efficiency and facilitating complex workflows through CLI commands and batch files.
  • System Administration
    The Command Prompt allows system administrators to perform various administrative tasks like file management, network diagnostics, and system configurations directly through commands.
  • Troubleshooting
    The Command Prompt provides numerous commands for diagnosing and fixing system issues, making it an essential tool for IT professionals when troubleshooting problems.

Possible disadvantages of Windows Command Prompt

  • Limited Functionality
    Compared to more modern or advanced command-line interfaces like PowerShell or Unix-based shells, the Windows Command Prompt has relatively limited functionality and fewer built-in commands.
  • No Support for Scripting Languages
    The Command Prompt does not natively support more powerful scripting languages like Python or Perl, which limits its capability for advanced scripting and automation tasks.
  • Interface Limitations
    The Command Prompt interface is text-based and does not support modern features like syntax highlighting, tab completion, or powerful text editing capabilities found in many contemporary terminals.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While simple to use for basic tasks, mastering more advanced functionalities of the Command Prompt involves a significant learning curve, especially for complex scripting or system administration tasks.
  • Security Risks
    Improper use of certain commands can pose security risks, potentially exposing the system to vulnerabilities or accidental misconfigurations, particularly when commands are run with administrative privileges.

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)

Windows Command Prompt videos

No Windows Command Prompt videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to zsh and Windows Command Prompt)

zsh

Windows Command Prompt

Cryptocurrencies
100 100%
Cryptocurrencies
0% 0
SSH
0 0%
SSH
100% 100
Blockchain
100 100%
Blockchain
0% 0
Server Management
0 0%
Server Management
100% 100

User comments

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

Based on our record, zsh seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. 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

Windows Command Prompt mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Windows Command Prompt yet. Tracking of Windows Command Prompt recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing zsh and Windows Command Prompt, you can also consider the following products

fish shell - The friendly interactive shell.

PowerShell - Download WMF. Windows Management Framework contains the latest versions of PowerShell, DSC, WMI, and WinRM for older versions of Windows. PowerShell Module Browser. Search for PowerShell modules and cmdlets.

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

MobaXterm - Enhanced terminal for Windows with X11 server, tabbed SSH client, network tools and much more

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.

Console - Console is a Windows console window enhancement.

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