Skip to main content

Installing and Removing Plugins

Installing a plugin is one line in your spec. There's no separate install command: the next build clones whatever is missing.

Install a plugin​

1. Add a line to your spec (~/.config/zflash/plugins.zsh by default):

zflash defer zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions

2. Open a new shell, or rebuild and restart the current one:

zflash build && exec zsh

The build clones the repository and regenerates the init:

zflash: cloning zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
zflash: built ~/.cache/zflash/init.zsh: 1 sync, 25 deferred, 0 snippets, 2 completion dirs

3. Confirm it's loaded and in the stage you expect:

zflash list | grep autosuggestions
defer  zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.plugin.zsh

zflash list shows the exact file zflash picked. If it picked the wrong one, name the file in the spec line.

Install from other sources​

# a sub-directory or specific file of a repo
zflash defer ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh plugins/kubectl
zflash load  romkatv/powerlevel10k powerlevel10k.zsh-theme

# any git host
zflash defer https://gitlab.com/someone/some-plugin.git
zflash defer git@github.com:me/private-plugin.git      # uses your SSH keys

# a local plugin you are developing (used in place, never pulled)
zflash defer ~/src/my-plugin

Configure a plugin​

Plugins are usually configured with variables or zstyles that must be set before the plugin loads. Put them in a file of your own and list it in the spec ahead of the plugin, in the same or an earlier stage:

~/.zsh/plugin-settings
ZSH_AUTOSUGGEST_STRATEGY=(history completion)
ZSH_AUTOSUGGEST_BUFFER_MAX_SIZE=20
zstyle ':fzf-tab:*' switch-group '<' '>'
~/.config/zflash/plugins.zsh
zflash defer ~/.zsh/plugin-settings
zflash defer Aloxaf/fzf-tab
zflash defer zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions

Editing ~/.zsh/plugin-settings later doesn't need a rebuild; zflash recompiles your own files automatically when they change.

Remove a plugin​

1. Delete (or comment out) its line in the spec, then open a new shell. The plugin is no longer loaded.

2. Delete the clone (optional, to free disk space):

zflash clean
unused repositories:
  zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions
remove them? [y/N]

zflash clean --yes skips the prompt. clean compares $ZFLASH_HOME/repos against the repositories in the last build, so open a new shell or run zflash build before cleaning.

Temporarily disable a plugin​

Comment out the line. The clone stays on disk, so re-enabling is instant:

# zflash defer zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions

Next steps​