Powerlevel10k

Powerlevel10k (p10k) is a fast, highly configurable Zsh prompt theme with a built-in configuration wizard and an “instant prompt” that shows the prompt before plugins finish loading. For a cross-shell alternative see Starship Prompt.

Project: Powerlevel10k Documentation: Powerlevel10k README

Commands and settings were read from the project README and checked against a working ~/.p10k.zsh.

Commands #

COMMAND	DESCRIPTION
`p10k configure`	Run the wizard; writes `~/.p10k.zsh` and adds the loader line to `~/.zshrc`
`p10k reload`	Apply `POWERLEVEL9K_*` changes made in a running shell
`p10k help segment`	Reference for defining your own prompt segment
`p10k segment -t TEXT`	Print a segment from inside a custom segment function (see `p10k help segment`)

Install #

Pick one. With antidote, add one line to ~/.zsh_plugins.txt:

text

romkatv/powerlevel10k

With Oh My Zsh standalone, clone it into the custom themes folder and set the theme:

zsh
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k

zsh
ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"

Restart the shell. The wizard starts by itself; run p10k configure if it does not.

Fonts #

Pick MesloLGS NF (recommended by the project) or another Nerd Font, and select it in your terminal. iTerm2 and Termux can install the font from the wizard. Icons showing as boxes or question marks means the terminal font is wrong.

`~/.zshrc` Layout #

Keep the instant prompt block at the very top and the config source after the plugins:

zsh
if [[ -r "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh" ]]; then
  source "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh"
fi

# ... plugin manager and theme load here ...

[[ ! -f ~/.p10k.zsh ]] || source ~/.p10k.zsh

Copy the instant prompt block verbatim. Anything that prompts for input (passwords, [y/n]) must go above it.

Settings #

Set in ~/.p10k.zsh (the wizard writes them). Run p10k reload after editing a live shell.

SETTING	EFFECT
`POWERLEVEL9K_LEFT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS=(...)`	Segments on the left (e.g. `dir`, `vcs`, `prompt_char`)
`POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS=(...)`	Segments on the right (e.g. `status`, `command_execution_time`, `time`)
`POWERLEVEL9K_MODE`	Character set (e.g. `nerdfont-complete`); best left to `p10k configure`
`POWERLEVEL9K_INSTANT_PROMPT`	`verbose` (warn about output), `quiet`, or `off`
`POWERLEVEL9K_DISABLE_HOT_RELOAD=false`	Apply edits without `p10k reload`, at a small speed cost
`POWERLEVEL9K_TRANSIENT_PROMPT`	`off`, `always` or `same-dir`: trim the prompt of accepted command lines
`POWERLEVEL9K_DIR_MAX_LENGTH` / `POWERLEVEL9K_SHORTEN_STRATEGY`	How the directory is shortened

Add your own segment functions with the prefix my_ (e.g. prompt_my_temp) and put my_temp in a prompt elements array.

Troubleshooting #

SYMPTOM	FIX
Wizard does not start	Run `p10k configure`; make sure the theme is loaded before `source ~/.p10k.zsh`
Boxes instead of icons	Install and select a Nerd Font, or choose ASCII in the wizard
“console output during zsh initialization” warning	Something prints during start-up: silence or move it above the instant prompt block, or set `POWERLEVEL9K_INSTANT_PROMPT=quiet`
Password prompt hangs at start	Move it above the instant prompt block
Prompt does not match config	Run `p10k reload`, or `exec zsh`
Theme gone after `antidote update`	Check the `romkatv/powerlevel10k` line is still in `~/.zsh_plugins.txt` and the static file is regenerated