Commands

add

abbr [(add | a)] [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)] ABBREVIATION=EXPANSION

Add a new abbreviation.

Known limitation

Abbreviations and expansions cannot have an exclamation point (!). Read issue #84 for details. If that's a dealbreaker for you, you can downgrade to v4.x. Read Migrating between versions.

% abbr add hw="echo hello world"
Added the regular user abbreviation `hw`
%

add is the default command, and does not need to be specified.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
Added the regular user abbreviation `hw`
%

As demonstrated above, the EXPANSION can be more than one word. The ABBREVIATION can be too. This lets you create context-dependent abbreviations:

% abbr "git cp"="git cherry-pick"
Added the regular user abbreviation `git cp`
% cp[Space] # no special behavior. you can use cp as usual
% git cp[Space] # expands to `git cherry-pick `

This lets you compose multi-stage abbreviations:

% abbr g=git
Added the regular user abbreviation `g`
% g[Space] # expands to `git `
% abbr "git cp"="git cherry-pick"
Added the regular user abbreviation `git cp`
% cp[Space] # no special behavior. you can use cp as usual
% g[Space]cp[Space] # expands to `git cherry-pick `

TIP

If the above Git case is useful for you, check out the git command

To add a session abbreviation, use the --session scope flag (-S for short). Otherwise, or if the --user scope flag (-U for short) is passed, the new abbreviation will be available to all sessions. Read Usage > Scope.

To add a global abbreviation, use the --global flag (-g for short). Otherwise, the new abbreviation will be a command abbreviation. Read Usage > Type.

As with aliases, to include whitespace, quotation marks, or other special characters like ;, |, or & in the EXPANSION, quote the EXPANSION or \-escape the characters as necessary.

% abbr x=y z
abbr add: Expected one argument, got 2: x=y z
% abbr x=y\ z
Added the regular user abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `y z `

% abbr x=y z
abbr add: Expected one argument, got 2: x=y z
% abbr x="y z"
Added the regular user abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `y z  `

User abbreviations can also be manually added to the user abbreviations file. Read Storage and manual editing.

The regular session abbreviations, global session abbreviations, regular user abbreviations, and user global abbreviations are all independent. You can have more than one abbreviation with the same ABBREVIATION. Order of precedence is

1. regular session
2. regular user
3. global session
4. global user

# terminal 1
% abbr -g x="globaluser"
Added the global user abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `globaluser `
% a x[Space] # expands to `a globaluser `
% abbr -g -S x="globalsession"
Added the global session abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `globalsession `
% a x[Space] # expands to `a globalsession `
% abbr -g x="regularuser"
Added the regular user abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `regularuser `
% a x[Space] # expands to `a globalsession `
% abbr -g x="regularsession"
Added the regular session abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `regularsession `
% a x[Space] # expands to `a globalsession `

# terminal 2
% x[Space] # expands to `regularuser `
% a x[Space] # expands to `a globaluser `

Use --dry-run to check what the result would be without making any actual changes.

Will error rather than overwrite an existing abbreviation.

Will warn if the abbreviation would replace an existing abbreviation or command. To add in spite of the warning, use --force. To silence the warning, use --quieter.

clear-session

abbr (clear-session | c)

Erase all session abbreviations.

% abbr -S x=y
Added the regular session abbreviation `x`
% x[Space] # expands to `y `
% abbr c
% x[Space] # no expansion

erase

abbr (erase | e) [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>] [--dry-run] [--quiet] ABBREVIATION

Erase an abbreviation.

Known limitation

abbr erase cannot erase abbreviations which contain certain non-alphanumeric characters. Read issue #118 for details. You can still delete them manually - read Storage and manual editing for details.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
Added the regular user abbreviation `hw`
% hw[Enter] # expands to `echo hello world` and runs the command
hello world
% abbr erase hw
Erased regular user abbreviation `hw`
% hw[Enter] # no special behavior
zsh: command not found: hw
%

If there are multiple abbreviations with the same ABBREVIATION (read add) you will be prompted to disambiguate. Use the --session (-S for short) or --user (-U for short) flag to specify the scope (read Usage > Scope) and/or the --global (-g for short) or --regular (-r for short) flag to specify the type (read Usage > Type).

% abbr -g x="globaluser"
Added the global user abbreviation `x`
% abbr -g -S x="globalsession"
Added the global session abbreviation `x`
% abbr e x;
Did not erase abbreviation `x`. Please specify one of
  global session abbreviation
  global user abbreviation
% abbr e -U x;
Erased global user abbreviation `x`

User abbreviations can also be manually erased from the user abbreviations file. Read Storage and manual editing.

expand

abbr (expand | x) ABBREVIATION

Output the ABBREVIATION's EXPANSION.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
% abbr expand hw
echo hello world

TIP

To output the expansion of a global abbreviation, circumvent expansion with a ; or [Ctrl-Space][Enter]

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
% abbr expand hw[Enter] # expands to `abbr expand echo hello world`
abbr expand: requires exactly one argument
% abbr expand hw;
echo hello world

export-aliases

abbr export-aliases [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>]

Export abbreviations as alias commands.

The alias commands use the same types as the abbreviations.

Regular abbreviations come after global abbreviations. Session abbreviations come after user abbreviations.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
% abbr -S e=echo
% abbr -g g=git
% abbr export-aliases
alias hw='echo hello world'
alias e=echo
alias -g g=git

Use the --session scope flag (-S for short) to export only session abbreviations. Use the --user scope flag (-U for short) to export only user abbreviations. Read Usage > Scope.

Use the --global or -g type flag to export only global abbreviations. Use the --regular or -r type flag to export only regular abbreviations. Read Usage > Type.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
% abbr -S e=echo
% abbr -g g=git
% abbr export-aliases -S
alias e=echo
% abbr export-aliases -g
alias -g g=git

git

abbr [(git | g)] [<SCOPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)] ABBREVIATION=EXPANSION

Add two new abbreviations:

• a regular abbreviation, the expansion of which is prefixed with git
• a global abbreviation, the abbreviation and expansion of which are prefixed with git

% abbr git m="checkout main"
Added the regular user abbreviation `m`
Added the global user abbreviation `git m`
% abbr list-commands
abbr -g "git m"="git checkout main"
abbr "m"="git checkout main"
% m[Enter] # expands and runs `git checkout main`
% echo m[Enter] # no expansion
m
% echo hello world && git m[Enter] # expands and runs `git commit && git checkout main`

help

abbr (help | --help)

Show the manpage.

import-aliases

abbr import-aliases [<TYPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)]

Add regular abbreviations for every regular alias in the session, and global abbreviations for every global alias in the session.

# shell config file, likely ~/.zshrc
alias e=echo
alias -g hw="hello world"

% abbr import-aliases
Added the regular user abbreviation `e`
Added the global user abbreviation `hw`

Aliases still work:

% abbr import-aliases
Added the regular user abbreviation `e`
Added the global user abbreviation `hw`
% e[Ctrl-Space]hw; # no expansion; uses the zsh aliases
hello world

Note that zsh-abbr does not lint the imported abbreviations. An effort is made to correctly wrap the expansion in single or double quotes, but it is possible that importing will add an abbreviation with a quotation mark problem in the expansion. It is up to the user to double-check the result before taking further actions.

Use --dry-run to check what the result would be without making any actual changes.

Will skip, with a warning, if the alias has the same name as a command or an existing abbreviation. To add in spite of the warning, use --force. To silence the warning, use --quieter.

import-fish

abbr import-fish [<SCOPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)] FILE

Import fish abbr-syntax abbreviations (abbreviation expansion as compared to zsh abbr's abbreviation=expansion).

In fish:

abbr -s > file/to/save/fish/abbreviations/to

Then in zsh:

abbr import-fish file/to/save/fish/abbreviations/to
# file is no longer needed, so feel free to
# rm file/to/save/fish/abbreviations/to

Note that zsh-abbr does not lint the imported abbreviations. An effort is made to correctly wrap the expansion in single or double quotes, but it is possible that importing will add an abbreviation with a quotation mark problem in the expansion. It is up to the user to double-check the result before taking further actions.

Use --dry-run to check what the result would be without making any actual changes.

Will skip, with a warning, if the alias has the same name as a command or an existing abbreviation. To add in spite of the warning, use --force. To silence the warning, use --quieter.

import-git-aliases

WARNING

The import-git-aliases behavior changed in zsh-abbr v5. The previous behavior can be recreated with

% abbr import-git-aliases
% abbr import-git-aliases -g --prefix g

TIP

For users migrating from Oh-My-Zsh: OMZ's Git aliases are shell aliases, not aliases in the Git config. To add abbreviations for them, use import-aliases.

abbr import-git-aliases [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)] [--file <config-file>] [--prefix <ABBREVIATION prefix>]

Add regular abbreviations for every Git alias in the current session. The EXPANSION is prefixed with git[Space].

# Git config file, likely ~/.gitconfig
[alias]
  co = checkout

% abbr import-git-aliases
Added the regular user abbreviation `co`

Git aliases still work:

% abbr import-git-aliases
Added the regular user abbreviation `co`
% git co[Ctrl-Space]feature # no expansion; uses the Git alias
Switched to branch 'feature'

Use --dry-run to check what the result would be without making any actual changes. zsh-abbr does not lint the imported abbreviations.

Use the --session or -S scope flag to create session abbreviations. Otherwise, or if the --user scope flag (-U for short) is passed, the Git abbreviations will be user. Read Usage > Scope.

Use the --global or -g type flag to create global abbreviations. Use the --regular or -r type flag to create regular abbreviations. Read Usage > Type.

# Git config file, likely ~/.gitconfig
[alias]
  co = checkout

% abbr import-git-aliases -g -S
Added the global session abbreviation `co`

Use --file <config-file> to use a config file instead of the default (read man git-config).

# ~/my-other-git-config
[alias]
  co = checkout

% abbr import-git-aliases --file ~/my-other-git-config
Added the regular user abbreviation `co`

Use --prefix <ABBREVIATION prefix> to add a prefix to the ABBREVIATION.

# Git config file, likely ~/.gitconfig
[alias]
  co = checkout

% abbr import-git-aliases --prefix g
Added the regular user abbreviation `gco`

Try this pattern

1. add abbreviation g=git
2. import Git aliases, with the prefix git

% git config --global alias.cp cherry-pick
% abbr -g g=git
Added the global user abbreviation `g` 
% abbr import-git-aliases -g --prefix "git "
Added the global user abbreviation `cp`
% g[Space]cp[Space] # expands to `git cherry-pick `

Will skip, with a warning, if the alias has the same name as a command or an existing abbreviation. To add in spite of the warning, use --force. To silence the warning, use --quieter.

list

abbr [list] [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>]

List the abbreviations with their expansions, like zsh's alias. Regular abbreviations come after global abbreviations. Session abbreviations come after user abbreviations.

% abbr -S a=regularsession
Add the regular session abbreviation `a`
% abbr -g b=globaluser
Add the global user abbreviation `b`
% abbr c=regularuser
Add the regular user abbreviation `c`
% abbr -S -g d=globalsession
Add the global session abbreviation `d`
% abbr list
b="globaluser"
c="regularuser"
d="globalsession"
a="regularsession"

list is the default when no additional arguments are passed; it does not need to be made explicit:

% abbr -S a=regularsession
Add the regular session abbreviation `a`
% abbr -g b=globaluser
Add the global user abbreviation `b`
% abbr c=regularuser
Add the regular user abbreviation `c`
% abbr -S -g d=globalsession
Add the global session abbreviation `d`
% abbr
b="globaluser"
c="regularuser"
d="globalsession"
a="regularsession"

list-abbreviations

abbr (list-abbreviations | l) [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>]

List the abbreviations only, like fish's abbr -l. Regular abbreviations follow global abbreviations. Session abbreviations follow user abbreviations.

% abbr -S a=regularsession
Add the regular session abbreviation `a`
% abbr -g b=globaluser
Add the global user abbreviation `b`
% abbr c=regularuser
Add the regular user abbreviation `c`
% abbr -S -g d=globalsession
Add the global session abbreviation `d`
% abbr list-abbreviations
b
c
d
a

list-commands

abbr (list-commands | L) [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>]

List as commands suitable for export, like zsh's alias -L. Regular abbreviations follow global abbreviations. Session abbreviations follow user abbreviations.

% abbr -S a=regularsession
Add the regular session abbreviation `a`
% abbr -g b=globaluser
Add the global user abbreviation `b`
% abbr c=regularuser
Add the regular user abbreviation `c`
% abbr -S -g d=globalsession
Add the global session abbreviation `d`
% abbr list-commands
abbr -g b=globaluser
abbr c=regularuser
abbr -S -g d=globalsession
abbr -S a=regularsession

profile

abbr profile

Log profile information for debugging.

rename

abbr (rename | R) [<SCOPE>] [<TYPE>] [--dry-run] [(--quiet | --quieter)] [(-f | --force)] OLD NEW

Rename an abbreviation.

% abbr hw="echo hello world"
Added the regular user abbreviation `hw`
% hw[Enter] # expands to `echo hello world` and runs the command
hello world
% abbr rename hw wh
Added the regular user abbreviation `wh`
Erased regular user abbreviation `hw`
% hw[Enter] # no special behavior
zsh: command not found: hw
% wh[Enter] # expands to `echo hello world` and runs the command
hello world

Use the --session scope flag (-S for short) to rename a session abbreviation. Otherwise, or if the --user scope flag (-U for short) is passed, a user abbreviation will be renamed. Read Usage > Scope.

Use the --global flag (-g for short) to rename a global abbreviation. Otherwise, a command abbreviation will be renamed. Read Usage > Type.

Rename is scope- and type-specific. If you get a "no matching abbreviation" error, make sure you added the right flags (list abbreviations if you are not sure).

Use --dry-run to check what the result would be without making any actual changes.

User abbreviations can also be manually renamed in the user abbreviations file. Read Storage and manual editing.

Conflicts will error or warn. To continue regardless, use --force. To silence the warning, use --quieter.

Rename runs an add command and an erase command. Read add and erase for details.

version

abbr (version | --version | -v)

Show the current version.