INFO 5001 Application Modeling and Design - Instructions & Guides

Windows Terminal Guide with Git Bash and Oh My Zsh

This guide will help you set up and effectively use Windows Terminal with Git Bash and Oh My Zsh for an improved command-line experience.

Setting Up Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal is a modern terminal application that allows you to use multiple command-line tools in tabs.

Installation

1. Microsoft Store Method (Recommended):

   • Open the Microsoft Store from the Start menu
   • Search for Windows Terminal
   • Click Get or Install

2. Manual Installation:

   • Visit Windows Terminal GitHub Releases
   • Download the latest .msixbundle file
   • Double-click to install

Configuration

1. Open Windows Terminal (you’ll see PowerShell as the default profile)
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the “+” tab and select Settings
3. This opens a JSON file where you can customize terminal settings:
   • Set the default profile
   • Add new profiles
   • Change color schemes
   • Adjust keyboard shortcuts

Setting Up Git Bash in Windows Terminal

Prerequisites

1. Install Git for Windows if not already installed:
   • Download from Git for Windows
   • During installation, choose “Use Git from Git Bash only” or “Use Git from Windows Command Prompt”
   • Accept other default options

Add Git Bash to Windows Terminal

Git Bash should automatically appear as a profile in Windows Terminal after installation. If not:

1. Open Windows Terminal settings (Ctrl+,)
2. Click “Add a new profile” → “New empty profile”

3. Configure these settings:

   • Name: Git Bash
   • Command line: C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe (adjust if your installation path differs)
   • Starting directory: %USERPROFILE%
   • Icon: C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\share\git\git-for-windows.ico
4. Set Git Bash as default (optional):
   • Find the GUID for Git Bash under “profiles”
   • Copy this GUID
   • Paste it as the value for “defaultProfile” at the top of the settings file

Basic Git Bash Commands

Command	Description	Example
pwd	Print working directory (current location)	pwd
ls	List files and directories	ls -la (show all files with details)
cd	Change directory	cd Documents or cd .. (go up one level)
mkdir	Create a new directory	mkdir projects
rm	Remove files	rm filename.txt
rmdir	Remove empty directory	rmdir emptydir
touch	Create an empty file	touch newfile.txt
cp	Copy files	cp file.txt Documents/
mv	Move or rename files	mv file.txt newname.txt
cat	Display file contents	cat file.txt
clear	Clear terminal screen	clear
history	Show command history	history

Setting Up Oh My Zsh in Git Bash

While Git Bash uses Bash by default, you can enhance your experience with Oh My Zsh by installing Zsh.

Installing Zsh in Git Bash

1. Using Git Bash Package Manager:

   # Update package lists
   pacman -Syu
   
   # Install zsh
   pacman -S zsh
   

2. Alternative Method (if pacman doesn’t work):

   • Download the Zsh for Windows package
   • Extract to your Git installation directory (e.g., C:\Program Files\Git)

3. Set Zsh as default shell:

   # Add this to your ~/.bashrc file
   if [ -t 1 ]; then
     exec zsh
   fi
   

Installing Oh My Zsh

1. Install Oh My Zsh using curl:

   sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
   

2. After installation, restart Git Bash to apply changes

Customizing Oh My Zsh

1. Edit your configuration file:

   nano ~/.zshrc
   

2. Change the theme by modifying the ZSH_THEME line:

   # Popular themes: robbyrussell, agnoster, avit, bira
   ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"
   

3. Add plugins by modifying the plugins line:

   plugins=(git vscode)
   

4. Save changes and apply them:

   source ~/.zshrc
   

Popular Oh My Zsh Plugins

• git: Provides aliases and functions for Git
• vscode: Adds commands to open VS Code
• z: Quickly jump between directories using ‘frecency’

Terminal Productivity Tips

Command Shortcuts

• Up/Down arrows: Navigate through command history
• Ctrl+A: Move cursor to beginning of line
• Ctrl+E: Move cursor to end of line
• Ctrl+U: Clear line before cursor
• Ctrl+K: Clear line after cursor
• Ctrl+R: Search command history
• Tab: Auto-complete commands and file paths

Creating Aliases

Add custom shortcuts by editing your ~/.zshrc file:

# Example aliases
alias gs="git status"
alias gc="git commit -m"
alias ll="ls -la"

Environment Variables

To add permanent environment variables:

1. Edit your ~/.zshrc file:

   nano ~/.zshrc
   

2. Add export statements:

   export JAVA_HOME="/c/Program Files/Amazon Corretto/jdk17.x.x_x"
   export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
   

3. Apply changes:

   source ~/.zshrc
   

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. “Command not found” errors:

   • Ensure the command is installed and in your PATH
   • For Git commands, verify Git is properly installed

2. Permission issues:

   • Use “Run as Administrator” if needed
   • Check file permissions with ls -la

3. Path issues:

   • Use proper path syntax (forward slashes or escaped backslashes)
   • For Windows paths, use /c/Users/... instead of C:\Users\...

Windows-Specific Tips

1. Accessing Windows drives:

   • Windows drives are mounted under /c, /d, etc.
   • Example: cd /c/Users/username/Documents

2. Running Windows commands:

   • To run Windows executable commands, use a .exe suffix
   • Example: notepad.exe file.txt

Additional Resources

• Windows Terminal Documentation
• Git Bash Documentation
• Oh My Zsh Documentation

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Last updated: May 4, 2025