.zshrc is your shell's configuration file. It runs every time you open Terminal, setting up your environment - aliases, PATH, prompt, and other customizations.

The name: "zsh" (the shell) + "rc" (run commands).

Where Is It?

~/.zshrc

The ~ means your home folder. The dot makes it hidden.

What Goes In It?

Common additions:

# Aliases (shortcuts for commands)
alias ll="ls -la"
alias gs="git status"

# PATH additions
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:\$PATH"

# Environment variables
export EDITOR="nano"

# Prompt customization
PROMPT='%n@%m %~ %# '

Creating or Editing It

If it doesn't exist, create it:

touch ~/.zshrc

Edit it:

nano ~/.zshrc

Make changes, save (Control + O), exit (Control + X).

Applying Changes

After editing, either:

Reload the file:

source ~/.zshrc

Or open a new Terminal window - it loads automatically.

Common Uses

Aliases

Save typing with shortcuts:

alias ..="cd .."
alias ...="cd ../.."
alias la="ls -la"
alias c="clear"
alias h="history"

PATH Modifications

Add folders where commands live:

export PATH="\$HOME/bin:\$PATH"
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:\$PATH"

Environment Variables

Set variables that programs use:

export EDITOR="nano"
export NODE_ENV="development"

Custom Prompt

Change how your prompt looks:

# Simple: username in directory
PROMPT='%n in %~ → '

# With colors
PROMPT='%F{green}%n%f:%F{blue}%~%f \$ '

.zshrc vs .zprofile

For most customizations, use .zshrc.

View Your Current .zshrc

cat ~/.zshrc

If it doesn't exist or is empty, that's fine - Mac works with defaults.

Example .zshrc

A practical starter config:

# Homebrew (Apple Silicon)
eval "\$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

# Aliases
alias ll="ls -la"
alias gs="git status"
alias gp="git push"
alias c="clear"

# Better history
HISTSIZE=10000
SAVEHIST=10000
setopt SHARE_HISTORY

# Editor
export EDITOR="nano"

Backup Before Major Changes

Before experimenting:

cp ~/.zshrc ~/.zshrc.backup

If something breaks:

cp ~/.zshrc.backup ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Common Mistakes

Syntax errors: One typo can break your Terminal. If Terminal acts strange after editing, check your recent changes.

Forgetting to reload: Changes don't apply until you source ~/.zshrc or open a new Terminal.

Breaking PATH: If you overwrite PATH instead of appending to it, commands stop working. Always use export PATH="/new/path:\$PATH" (keep the \$PATH part).

Keep Learning

Your .zshrc is where Terminal becomes truly yours. The free course covers these customizations and more.

Check it out at Mac Terminal for Humans.