zstyle

zstyle [ -L [ metapattern [ style ] ] ]zstyle [ - | -- | -e ] pattern style string ...zstyle -d [ pattern [ style ... ] ]zstyle -g name [ pattern [ style ] ]zstyle -{a|b|s} context style name [ sep ]zstyle -{T|t} context style [ string ... ]zstyle -m context style pattern

zstyle is a builtin from the zsh/zutil module used to define and look up styles. A style is a name/value pair stored against a pattern; lookups supply a colon-separated context string that is matched against those patterns. The most specific matching pattern wins.Pattern specificity is determined by the number of colon-separated components and how literal each component is. Literal strings beat patterns, complex patterns beat the wildcard `*`, and ties are broken in favor of the pattern defined first. A `*` matches any number of characters including colons.Styles are most prominently used by zsh's shell-function-based completion system, where contexts follow the form :completion:_function_:_completer_:_command_:_argument_:_tag_. They are also used by prompt themes (e.g. vcs_info), zsh plugins, and arbitrary user code that calls zstyle -s/-a/-b/-t to read user preferences.

-L [metapattern [style]]

List style definitions as zstyle commands. Optional metapattern filters by pattern, style filters by style name.

Treat the value as code to be evaluated when the style is looked up; the parameter reply must be set to the resulting strings.

Delete styles. Without arguments deletes all definitions. With a pattern, deletes that pattern; with styles, deletes only those.

Get definitions into the array name. Returns patterns, styles for a pattern, or values for a (pattern, style) pair.

Read the style as a scalar into name, joining multiple values with spaces or sep. Returns 0 if set, 1 otherwise.

Read the style as a boolean (`yes` if the single value is yes, true, on, or 1; otherwise `no`).

Read the style as an array; if name is associative, alternate strings become keys and values.

Test a style. Status 0 = matches/true, 1 = defined but not matching, 2 = undefined.

Like -t but returns 0 (instead of 2) when the style is undefined for any matching pattern.

Pattern-match a style value. Returns 0 if pattern matches at least one of the value's strings.

Styles are typically set in ~/.zshrc after autoload -U compinit && compinit. There is no on-disk configuration file dedicated to styles; they live in shell memory until the shell exits.Common contexts include :completion:\*, :vcs_info:\*, :zle:\*, and plugin-specific namespaces such as :weather:\* or :zsh-autosuggest.

A common gotcha with -L: the meta-pattern is matched against the stored pattern, so `zstyle -L ":completion:*"` matches any stored pattern beginning with `:completion:`, not just the literal `:completion:*`. Use `:completion:\*` to match the literal asterisk. The -L option cannot be combined with other options.The -e form re-evaluates its value on every lookup; if reply is left unset by the evaluation, the style is treated as undefined.

The zstyle builtin was introduced as part of the zsh/zutil module to support the new function-based completion system that replaced the older compctl approach in zsh 4.0 (2001). It became the standard configuration mechanism for completion behavior, prompt themes such as vcs_info, and many third-party zsh plugins.

zsh(1), compinit(1), vcs_info(1)