We compare the Bash, Zsh, and fish shells
Knowledge Warehouse
Bash provide developers a comprehensive reference on their website, but it is quite technical and dry [7]. A better introduction is provided by tutorials like the still-valid Advanced Bash Scripting Guide [8].
For Zsh users, the official documentation is the first place to go [9]. The fish developers offer a detailed tutorial, as well as a reference on their website [10].
Conclusions
Bash, fish, and Zsh offer a similar range of functions, but they differ in many details. These dissimilarities are especially present in the syntax of the control structures, which means that only extremely simple scripts run without changes in a different shell.
If you want to use a script on as many systems as possible, there is no alternative to Bash. It is normally preinstalled and has the biggest user base. If you have problems or questions, you can usually find help quickly on the Internet.
As for interactive command-line operations, many users express a preference for Zsh or fish because of their advanced autocompletion, enhanced configuration options, and other user-friendly features.
If portability does not play a role or is just a minor concern, the best approach is to try all three shells and use the one that works best for you. For example, if you only launch programs from the command line, fish's automatic suggestions could save you quite a bit of typing.
Infos
- Bash: http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/
- Zsh: http://www.zsh.org
- Fish: https://fishshell.com
- Oh My Zsh: https://ohmyz.sh/
- Bash POSIX mode: http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bash.html#Bash-POSIX-Mode
- Fish in a Browser: https://rootnroll.com/d/fish-shell/
- Bash manual: http://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/
- Advanced Bash Scripting Guide: http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/
- Zsh documentation: http://zsh.sourceforge.net/Doc/
- Fish documentation: https://fishshell.com/docs/current/index.html
« Previous 1 2 3 4 5
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
PipeWire 1.0 Officially Released
PipeWire was created to take the place of the oft-troubled PulseAudio and has finally reached the 1.0 status as a major update with plenty of improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Rocky Linux 9.3 Available for Download
The latest version of the RHEL alternative is now available and brings back cloud and container images for ppc64le along with plenty of new features and fixes.
-
Ubuntu Budgie Shifts How to Tackle Wayland
Ubuntu Budgie has yet to make the switch to Wayland but with a change in approaches, they're finally on track to making it happen.
-
TUXEDO's New Ultraportable Linux Workstation Released
The TUXEDO Pulse 14 blends portability with power, thanks to the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU.
-
AlmaLinux Will No Longer Be "Just Another RHEL Clone"
With the release of AlmaLinux 9.3, the distribution will be built entirely from upstream sources.
-
elementary OS 8 Has a Big Surprise in Store
When elementary OS 8 finally arrives, it will not only be based on Ubuntu 24.04 but it will also default to Wayland for better performance and security.
-
OpenELA Releases Enterprise Linux Source Code
With Red Hat restricting the source for RHEL, it was only a matter of time before those who depended on that source struck out on their own.
-
StripedFly Malware Hiding in Plain Sight as a Cryptocurrency Miner
A rather deceptive piece of malware has infected 1 million Windows and Linux hosts since 2017.
-
Experimental Wayland Support Planned for Linux Mint 21.3
As with most Linux distributions, the migration to Wayland is in full force. While some distributions have already made the move, Linux Mint has been a bit slower to do so.
-
Window Maker Live 0.96.0-0 Released
If you're a fan of the Window Maker window manager, there's a new official release of the Linux distribution that champions the old-school user interface.