Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. Cue the collective sighs and confusion. But here’s the deal—if you’re doing any real terminal work on macOS, it’s worth knowing why that switch happened and whether you should care.
Why the Switch?
Apple made Zsh the default for licensing reasons. The version of Bash that shipped with macOS was ancient (v3.2 from 2007) because newer versions use GPLv3, which Apple didn’t want to mess with. Zsh doesn’t have that problem, so… boom, default.
But it’s not just a legal shuffle—Zsh brings some goodies to the table.
Zsh Perks
- Auto-suggestions: Like fish shell vibes—Zsh can guess what you’re typing and finish your thought. Bash can’t do that natively.
- Globbing on steroids: More powerful wildcard matching. Want to match all files with two digits and a
.logextension? Zsh makes that easy. - Plugins & Themes:
Oh My Zshturns Zsh into a productivity beast. You get Git status right in the prompt, syntax highlighting, fancy themes… Bash just feels barebones after. - Customization: Bash can be customized too, sure—but Zsh makes it easier and sexier.
Downsides?
Not much, unless you’ve got a pile of Bash scripts with weird quirks. Zsh is mostly compatible, but not 100%. You might have to tweak some syntax here and there.
Also, Zsh’s .zshrc isn’t the same as .bash_profile or .bashrc, so your muscle memory might need a refresh.
So, Which Should You Use?
If you’re already neck-deep in Bash and it’s working? Stick with it.
If you’re starting fresh or want something more modern and extensible? Zsh is the move. Especially if you’re living in Terminal daily. Install Oh My Zsh, pick a theme, grab some plugins, and feel like a hacker god.