An Easy-to-Follow Guide for Enabling Autocomplete in OhMyZsh & Hyper with Plugins & Themes

By Syed Wahaj

Introduction

Setting up autocomplete functionality in your terminal can greatly enhance your productivity as a developer or power user. OhMyZsh is a popular framework for managing Zsh configurations, while Hyper is a sleek and extensible terminal emulator. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up autocomplete in OhMyZsh and integrating it with Hyper. We will cover the installation of OhMyZsh, configuring plugins and themes, and enabling autocomplete functionality with practical examples.

1. Installing OhMyZsh

The first step is to install OhMyZsh, which is a community-driven framework for managing Zsh configurations. Follow the steps below to install OhMyZsh:

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

2. Configuring Plugins

Plugins extend the functionality of OhMyZsh. You can install and enable plugins based on your requirements.

2.1. Installing Plugins

To install plugins, you need to clone their repositories into the ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins directory. For example, to install the zsh-autosuggestions plugin:

$ git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions

2.2. Enabling Plugins

Once installed, you can enable the plugins by adding their names to the plugins array in your ~/.zshrc file. For example, to enable the zsh-autosuggestions plugin:

plugins=(zsh-autosuggestions)

3. Applying Themes

Themes allow you to customize the appearance of your terminal. OhMyZsh provides a wide range of themes to choose from.

3.1. Installing Themes

To install themes, clone their repositories into the ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/themes directory. For example, to install the popular agnoster theme:

$ git clone https://github.com/agnoster/agnoster-zsh-theme.git ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/themes/agnoster

3.2. Activating Themes

To activate a theme, set the ZSH_THEME variable in your ~/.zshrc file to the desired theme name. For example, to activate the agnoster theme:

ZSH_THEME="agnoster/agnoster"

4. Enabling Autocomplete

Autocomplete functionality is a powerful feature that suggests completions as you type commands or arguments. Let’s enable it in OhMyZsh.

4.1. Installing the Autocomplete Plugin

OhMyZsh provides the zsh-autosuggestions plugin, which offers powerful autocomplete capabilities. To install it, clone the repository into the ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins directory:

$ git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions

4.2. Configuring Autocomplete

To enable and configure the zsh-autosuggestions plugin, add it to the plugins array in your ~/.zshrc file:

plugins=(zsh-autosuggestions)

Additionally, you may need to update your terminal configuration to allow the display of the autocomplete suggestions. This may involve modifying the ~/.zshrc file or your terminal emulator settings. Consult the plugin’s documentation for specific instructions.

5. Integrating OhMyZsh with Hyper

To integrate OhMyZsh with Hyper, follow the steps below:

Open your Hyper configuration file, typically located at ~/.hyper.js or ~/.hyper.js.
Update the shell property with the path to your Zsh executable:

shell: '/bin/zsh',

Save the file and restart Hyper.

6. Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up autocomplete on OhMyZsh and integrated it with Hyper. With autocomplete, you can speed up your workflow and reduce typing errors. Experiment with different plugins and themes to further customize your terminal experience. Enjoy your newfound productivity!

Remember to explore the official documentation of OhMyZsh, Hyper, and the installed plugins for advanced customization options and troubleshooting guidelines.

Happy coding!