powerlevel10k/README.md

# Powerlevel10k

Powerlevel10k is a theme for ZSH. It's a backward-compatible modern reimplementation of
[Powerlevel9k](https://github.com/bhilburn/powerlevel9k) with lower latency, better
prompt responsiveness and scores of extra features.

Powerlevel10k can be used as a drop-in replacement for Powerlevel9k. When given the same
configuration options it will generate
[the same](#does-powerlevel10k-always-render-exactly-the-same-prompt-as-powerlevel9k-given-the-same-config)
prompt. It will be [much faster](#is-it-really-fast) though.

![p10k-lean](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k/master/config/p10k-lean.png)

## Table of Contents

1. [Installation](#installation)
   1. [Manual](#manual)
   1. [Oh My Zsh](#oh-my-zsh)
   1. [Prezto](#prezto)
   1. [Antigen](#antigen)
   1. [Zplug](#zplug)
   1. [Zgen](#zgen)
   1. [Antibody](#antibody)
1. [Configuration](#configuration)
   1. [For new users](#for-new-users)
   1. [For existing users](#for-existing-users)
1. [Fonts](#fonts)
1. [Try it in Docker](#try-it-in-docker)
1. [Is it really faster?](#is-it-really-fast)
1. [License](#license)
1. [FAQ](#faq)
   1. [Why does Powerlevel10k spawn extra processes?](#why-does-powerlevel10k-spawn-extra-processes)
   1. [Are there configuration options that make Powerlevel10k slow?](#are-there-configuration-options-that-make-powerlevel10k-slow)
   1. [Is Powerlevel10k fast to load?](#is-powerlevel10k-fast-to-load)
   1. [Does Powerlevel10k always render exactly the same prompt as Powerlevel9k given the same config?](#does-powerlevel10k-always-render-exactly-the-same-prompt-as-powerlevel9k-given-the-same-config)
   1. [Is there an AUR package for Powerlevel10k?](#is-there-an-aur-package-for-powerlevel10k)
   1. [I cannot make Powerlevel10k work with my plugin manager. Help!](#i-cannot-make-powerlevel10k-work-with-my-plugin-manager-help)
   1. [What is the minimum supported ZSH version?](#what-is-the-minimum-supported-zsh-version)

## Installation

### Manual

```zsh
git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ~/powerlevel10k
echo 'source ~/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme' >>! ~/.zshrc
```

This is the simplest kind of installation and it works even if you are using a plugin manager. Just
make sure to disable your current theme in your plugin manager. See
[FAQ](#i-cannot-make-powerlevel10k-work-with-my-plugin-manager-help) for help.

### Oh My Zsh

```zsh
git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git $ZSH_CUSTOM/themes/powerlevel10k
```

Set `ZSH_THEME=powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k` in your `~/.zshrc`.

### Prezto

Add `zstyle :prezto:module:prompt theme powerlevel10k` to your `~/.zpreztorc`.

### Antigen

Add `antigen theme romkatv/powerlevel10k` to your `~/.zshrc`. Make sure you have `antigen apply`
somewhere after it.

### Zplug

Add `zplug romkatv/powerlevel10k, use:powerlevel10k.zsh-theme` to your `~/.zshrc`.

### Zgen

Add `zgen load romkatv/powerlevel10k powerlevel10k` to your `~/.zshrc`.

### Antibody

Add `antibody bundle romkatv/powerlevel10k` to your `~/.zshrc`.

## Configuration

### For new users

On the first run Powerlevel10k configuration wizard will ask you a few questions and configure
your prompt. If it doesn't trigger automatically, type `p9k_configure`.

### For existing users

If you've been using Powerlevel9k before, **do not remove the configuration options**. Powerlevel10k
will pick them up and provide you with the same prompt UI you are used to. Powerlevel10k recognized
all configuration options used by Powerlevel9k. See Powerlevel9k
[configuration guide](https://github.com/bhilburn/powerlevel9k#prompt-customization).

To go beyond the functionality of Powerlevel9k, type `p9k_configure` and explore unique styles and
features Powerlevel10k has to offer.

## Fonts

Powerlevel10k doesn't require custom fonts but it can take advantage of them if they are available.
Some of the style options in Powerlevel10k are available only when using
[Nerd Fonts](https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts).

If you don't know which font to use, download
[these 4 fonts](https://github.com/romkatv/dotfiles-public/tree/master/.local/share/fonts/NerdFonts)
and install them. In most systems you can install fonts simply by clicking on the `ttf` files. Then
change your terminal's font to `MesloLGS NF` (NF stands for Nerd Fonts).

- **iTerm2**: Open *Preferences → Profiles → Text → Change Font*. Set *Font* to `MesloLGS NF`.
- **GNOME**: Type this command:

```zsh
sudo apt install libglib2.0-bin
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface monospace-font-name 'MesloLGS NF 11'
```

- **Windows Command Prompt** (the default terminal app): Use
  [this script](https://gist.github.com/romkatv/aa7a70fe656d8b655e3c324eb10f6a8b).
- **Visual Studio Code** (builtin terminal): Open *File → Preferences → Settings*, enter
  `terminal.integrated.fontFamily` in the search box and set the value to `MesloLGS NF`.

(Using a different terminal and know how to set font for it? Share your knowledge by sending a PR
expanding the list!)

## Try it in Docker

Try Powerlevel10k in Docker. You can safely make any changes to the file system while trying out
the theme. Once you exit zsh, the image is deleted.

```zsh
docker run -e LANG=C.UTF-8 -e LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 -e TERM -it --rm ubuntu bash -uexc '
  cd && apt update && apt install -y zsh git
  git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git
  echo "source ~/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme" >>~/.zshrc
  cd ~/powerlevel10k
  exec zsh'
```

## Is it really fast?

Yes.

[![asciicast](https://asciinema.org/a/NHRjK3BMePw66jtRVY2livHwZ.svg)](https://asciinema.org/a/NHRjK3BMePw66jtRVY2livHwZ)

Benchmark results obtained with
[zsh-prompt-benchmark](https://github.com/romkatv/zsh-prompt-benchmark) on Intel i9-7900X
running Ubuntu 18.04 with the config from the demo.

| Theme               | Prompt Latency |
|---------------------|---------------:|
| powerlevel9k/master |        1046 ms |
| powerlevel9k/next   |        1005 ms |
| **powerlevel10k**   |     **8.7 ms** |

Powerlevel10k is over 100 times faster than Powerlevel9k in this benchmark.

In fairness, Powerlevel9k has acceptable latency when given a spartan configuration. If all you need
is the current directory without truncation or shortening, Powerlevel9k can render it for you in
17 ms. Powerlevel10k can do the same 30 times faster but it won't matter in practice because 17 ms
is fast enough (the threshold where latency becomes noticeable is around 50 ms). You have to be
careful with Powerlevel9k configuration as it's all too easy to make prompt frustratingly slow.
Powerlevel10k, on the other hand, doesn't require trading latency for utility -- it's virtually
instant with any configuration. It stays way below the 50 ms mark, leaving most of the latency
budget for other plugins you might install.

## License

Powerlevel10k is released under the
[MIT license](https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k/blob/master/LICENSE). Contributions are
covered by the same license.

## FAQ

### Why does Powerlevel10k spawn extra processes?

Powerlevel10k uses [gitstatus](https://github.com/romkatv/gitstatus) as the backend behind `vcs`
prompt; gitstatus spawns `gitstatusd` and `zsh`. See
[gitstatus](https://github.com/romkatv/gitstatus) for details. Powerlevel10k may also spawn `zsh`
to trigger async prompt refresh.

### Are there configuration options that make Powerlevel10k slow?

No, Powerlevel10k is always fast, with any configuration you throw at it. If you have noticeable
prompt latency when using Powerlevel10k, please
[open an issue](https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k/issues).

### Is Powerlevel10k fast to load?

The short answer is no. The amount of time it takes for Powerlevel10k to render the first prompt
is in the same ballpark as for Powerlevel9k.

Time to first prompt can be measured with the following benchmark:

```zsh
time (repeat 100 zsh -dfis <<< 'source ~/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme')
```

On the same machine as in the [prompt benchmark](#is-it-really-fast) this results in 147 ms per
invocation when executed in a small git repository (I used the `powerlevel10k` repo itself). For
comparison, the same benchmark gives 170 ms for powerlevel9k/master and 505 ms for
powerlevel9k/next.

If your workflow requires that you open a terminal tab, type a command or two and close the tab,
Powerlevel10k isn't the best choice. Powerlevel10k is optimized for long-lived ZSH sessions.

### Does Powerlevel10k always render exactly the same prompt as Powerlevel9k given the same config?

This is the goal. You should be able to switch from Powerlevel9k to Powerlevel10k with no
visible changes except for performance. There are, however, several differences.

- By default only `git` vcs backend is enabled in Powerlevel10k. If you need `svn` and `hg`, you'll
  need to set `POWERLEVEL9K_VCS_BACKENDS`.
- Powerlevel10k is bug-compatible with Powerlevel9k except for egregious bugs. If you accidentally
  rely on these bugs, your prompt will differ between Powerlevel9k and Powerlevel10k. Some examples:
  - Powerlevel9k doesn't respect `ZLE_RPROMPT_INDENT`. As a result, right prompt in Powerlevel10k
    can have an extra space compared to Powerlevel9k. Set `ZLE_RPROMPT_INDENT=0` if you don't want
    that space.
  - Powerlevel9k ignores some options that are set after the theme is sources while Powerlevel10k
    respects all options. If you see different icons in Powerlevel9k and Powerlevel10k, you've
    probably defined `POWERLEVEL9K_MODE` before sourcing the theme. This parameter gets ignored
    by Powerlevel9k but not Powerlevel10k. If you want your prompt to look in Powerlevel10k the same
    as in Powerlevel9k, remove `POWERLEVEL9K_MODE`.
  - There are
    [dozens more bugs](https://github.com/Powerlevel9k/powerlevel9k/issues/created_by/romkatv) in
    Powerlevel9k that don't exist in Powerlevel10k.

If you notice any other changes in prompt appearance when switching from Powerlevel9k to
Powerlevel10k, please [open an issue](https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k/issues).

### Is there an AUR package for Powerlevel10k?

Yes, [zsh-theme-powerlevel10k-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/zsh-theme-powerlevel10k-git/).
This package is owned by an unaffiliated volunteer.

### I cannot make Powerlevel10k work with my plugin manager. Help!

If the [installation instructions](#installation) didn't work for you, try disabling your current
theme (so that you end up with no theme) and then installing Powerlevel10k manually.

1. Disable the current theme in your framework / plugin manager.

- **zplug:** Open `~/.zshrc` and remove the `zplug` command that refers to your current theme. For
  example, if you are currently using Powerlevel9k, look for
  `zplug bhilburn/powerlevel9k, use:powerlevel9k.zsh-theme`.
- **prezto:** Open `~/.zpreztorc` and put `zstyle :prezto:module:prompt theme off` in it. Remove
  any other command that sets `theme` such as `zstyle :prezto:module:prompt theme powerlevel9k`.
- **oh-my-zsh:** Open `~/.zshrc` and remove the line that sets `ZSH_THEME`, such as
  `ZSH_THEME=powerlevel9k/powerlevel9k`.
- **antigen:** Open `~/.zshrc` and remove the line that sets `antigen theme`, such as
  `antigen theme bhilburn/powerlevel9k powerlevel9k`.

2. Install Powerlevel10k manually.

```zsh
git clone https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ~/powerlevel10k
echo 'source ~/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme' >>! ~/.zshrc
```

This method of installation won't make anything slower or otherwise sub-par.

### What is the minimum supported ZSH version?

ZSH 5.1 or newer should work.

However, there are too many version, OS, platform, terminal and option configurations to test. If
Powerlevel10k doesn't work for you, please open an issue.