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Rat Zsh is an open-source Zsh plugin manager that reads a TOML configuration and manages plugins hosted on GitHub. Its README calls it “lightweight, fast, and reproducible”; that is the project’s description, not an independently measured performance result. You can install it with the project’s shell installer, add its initialization line to .zshrc, and use config.toml to define what loads and at which revision.
What Rat Zsh does
Rat Zsh organizes plugin installation and loading through a TOML file. The README documents GitHub as its currently supported plugin source. Entries can select a repository and revision, choose whether to source a file or add completion-function directories to Zsh’s $fpath, and specify command prerequisites. The project documents both plugin synchronization and a defined loading order.
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The word “reproducible” is best understood in terms of revision selection: choosing a fixed tag or commit limits version drift. A branch can move as upstream changes. The documented configuration is not described as a lockfile.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsInstall Rat Zsh and initialize it
The project README documents this installer command:
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curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gotokazuki/rat-zsh/main/install.zsh | zshThis downloads the installer and pipes it to Zsh. The README says the executable is placed at $(rz home)/bin/rz. Rat Zsh’s default home is $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/.rz, falling back to $HOME/.rz. A sample config.toml is created on first install.
To enable Rat Zsh in interactive shells, add the initialization code it prints to ~/.zshrc:
eval "$(rz init)"These are the project’s documented setup steps; installation and compatibility were not independently tested here. The README says the rz config command opens the configuration using the editor in EDITOR, or vim if that variable is unset.
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Configure plugins in config.toml
Each plugin entry describes a source and repository, with optional settings for its revision and loading behavior. The README supports GitHub repositories in owner/repository form and lists source as the default loading type.
sourceandrepo: Identify the repository source and repository. The README currently lists onlygithubas supported.rev: Selects a branch or tag; the feature summary also names commits. A fixed tag or commit is more stable than a branch that tracks upstream movement.file: Optionally specifies a file to source.type: Choosesourceorfpath. Withsource, Rat Zsh sources the plugin; withfpath, it handles completion-function directories.name: Optionally sets a local alias, useful when selecting multiple scripts from one repository.fpath_dirs: Lists repository directories to add to Zsh’s$fpath.requires: Lists commands that must be available inPATH.
Use prerequisites to make loading conditional
If a command listed in requires is unavailable, Rat Zsh skips that plugin: according to the README, it is not cloned or updated, receives no symlink in the plugin directory, and is not loaded by rz init. This lets a configuration omit plugins whose required tools are absent rather than loading them unconditionally.
Choose a revision deliberately
Use a fixed tag or commit when you want to avoid following upstream changes automatically. Use a branch when you want it to remain attached to upstream updates. The README advises pinning tags or commits to avoid unexpected updates; it does not document a separate lockfile.
Understand plugin order and inspect the result
Rat Zsh documents this default order: other plugins alphabetically, followed by zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions, then zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting. The project says it enforces this ordering automatically. Run rz list to inspect the effective order and plugin metadata.
Order can affect shell behavior when plugins interact. If a plugin expects another to load first, check the effective list rather than assuming the order of entries in TOML determines the final sequence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sync plugins, check updates, and upgrade Rat Zsh
Rat Zsh uses distinct commands for plugin management and updating the manager itself:
rz syncclones or updates the configured plugins.rz list -ureports upstream status for plugins attached to branches. The README’s indicators cover new upstream commits, local commits ahead of upstream, synchronized branches, uncommitted changes, and unknown status. Pinned tags and commits do not track upstream updates.rz upgradeupdates Rat Zsh itself.
Use rz home to print the installation directory. The README’s uninstall instructions are to remove that directory and delete the Rat Zsh initialization line from ~/.zshrc.
Autosuggestions configuration note
For zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions, the README suggests setting ZSH_AUTOSUGGEST_MANUAL_REBIND=1 before rz init to avoid rebinding ZLE widgets before every prompt. It also cautions that plugin or key-binding changes may require running zle autosuggest-start manually. This is project configuration advice, not a general performance guarantee.
How Rat Zsh differs from other documented approaches
Other Zsh manager READMEs describe different workflows, but these feature descriptions do not establish which manager is fastest:
| Manager | Documented approach |
|---|---|
| Rat Zsh | TOML configuration; GitHub source support; source or fpath loading; revision selection; command-based prerequisites; documented default plugin order. |
| ZPM | Its README describes a generated startup cache and its own configuration and command workflow. Project README. |
| zplug | Its README describes multiple sources, parallel installation and updates, lazy loading, and branch, tag, or commit selection. Project README. |
| zgenom | Its README recommends generating a static initialization script to avoid installation or update work during every shell startup. Project README. |
Those alternatives illustrate other documented features, not a controlled comparison. The Rat Zsh README supplies no independent benchmark or startup-time figure, so a speed ranking cannot be drawn from the available documentation.
Quick Recap
Useful Rat Zsh commands
| Command | Purpose documented by the project |
|---|---|
rz init |
Print initialization code for the shell configuration. |
rz config |
Open the configuration file. |
rz sync |
Clone or update configured plugins. |
rz list |
Inspect effective plugin order and metadata. |
rz list -u |
Check update status for branch-attached plugins. |
rz upgrade |
Update Rat Zsh itself. |
rz home |
Show the Rat Zsh installation directory. |
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