How to Install Oh My Zsh on Windows – Step-by-Step Guide

Oh My Zsh is a popular open source framework that enhances the Zsh terminal with themes, plugins, and conveniences to improve productivity. Getting it running on Windows requires a few extra steps compared to Linux or macOS, but it is achievable by leveraging the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Here is a step-by-step guide to installing Oh My Zsh on Windows.

Prerequisites

Before installing Oh My Zsh, you need:

• Windows 10 version 2004 or higher
• Windows Subsystem for Linux enabled
• An Ubuntu distribution installed from the Microsoft Store

Enabling WSL and installing Ubuntu are straightforward using the Windows Settings app. Just search for "Turn Windows features on or off" and enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature. Then visit the Microsoft Store and install your preferred Ubuntu distribution.

Install Zsh in Ubuntu on Windows

With Ubuntu set up through WSL, open the Ubuntu terminal. First update the package index and upgrade installed packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Next install Zsh:

sudo apt install zsh

Set Zsh as the default shell for your user account:

chsh -s $(which zsh)

Close and reopen Ubuntu to load zsh. Verify it is now the default shell with:

echo $SHELL

This should output /usr/bin/zsh.

Install Oh My Zsh

With zsh ready as the default shell, installing Oh My Zsh takes just one command:

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

This downloads the install script from the Oh My Zsh repository on GitHub and runs it.

After it finishes, exit Ubuntu and reopen it to load Oh My Zsh. You will now see the Oh My Zsh prompt indicating a successful installation.

Customizing Your Zsh Environment

The real power of Oh My Zsh comes from customizing it to suit your workflow. A few ways to personalize:

• Change the theme – edit .zshrc to set ZSH_THEME
• Install plugins – add names to the plugins array in .zshrc
• Create custom aliases and functions in .zshrc

Take some time to explore the many Oh My Zsh options. Building a personalized config will boost your productivity as you work in zsh.

Conclusion

It takes a just few steps to install Oh My Zsh on Windows 10 thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Linux. The Ubuntu environment provided by WSL supplies a full Linux userspace that can run powerful frameworks like Oh My Zsh to enhance your terminal. Customize Oh My Zsh to optimize your workflows for efficiency.