Why do you need to source .zshrc for every new shell in iTerm?

Question

I've used Iterm2 with zsh everyday for the past 3 years, but I got a new computer and had to set it up again. The problem is that when I run ~/.zshrc it works fine, but I have to do it on every new terminal window I open. Not a good experience.

I noticed that I don't have any bashrc, bash_profile, or profile (dot)files on my new machine.

Here's the code in ~/.zshrc:

export ZSH=/Users/healy/.oh-my-zsh
plugins=(
  git
)
ZSH_THEME="agnoster"
source ~/.zsh/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
DEFAULT_USER=healy

Again, it works perfectly (and as expected), but only after I run the source command, and that shouldn't be the case.

Solution 1

Make sure your export/source are added after the plugins in your zshrc, as stated in this post: oh-my-zsh config file not loading

Solution 2

On starting a new shell just run the command source ~/.zshrc by configuring in the

Preferences -> Profiles -> Select Default Profile(default profile will be starred) -> General -> Command -> Select Login Shell -> Send text at start:

Enter the value source ~/.zshrc.

You may add source ~/.zshrc; clear in case you need to clear the screen contents after executing the command.

Solution 3

I had the same issue and changing the Shells Open with option fixed this for me.

To get here:

• Open Preferences for Terminal
• Select the General Tab
• Change Sells open with from Default login shell to Command (complete path) with the /bin/zsh in the input box.

Screeshot:

Comments

[nevets1219]

You probably didn't change your default shell : apple.stackexchange.com/questions/191780/…

[chepner]

@nevets1219 If that were the case, sourcing a Zsh configuration file would almost certainly cause an error. (Although I'm assuming that zsh-autosuggestions.zsh contains something that bash couldn't interpret properly.)

[Trevor]

I'm pretty sure this was the solution I came to as well.

[Faisal Ali]

changing the Shells Open with option is a better Idea. you can find the steps in the above answers. cheers