Install the latest Zsh on CentOS

2020-10-20T00:00:00+06:00

As the default Zsh on CentOS is usually an older version, many cool things are not possible on this version of Zsh, like installing oh-my-zsh or using awesome powerlevel10k prompt system, it’s understandable if you’d like to have the latest Zsh on your system. Easy peasy !!

Note: Please remember to remove the sudo from the commands if you are already in “root” or sudo-er mode

We’ll be following these steps:

Install the pre-requisites
Download the latest source
Build & Install
Final steps
Related

Install the pre-requisites¶

We need GCC (C++ compiler) and other related stuffs for building Zsh from the source code.

$ sudo yum groupinstall "Development tools"  
$ sudo yum install ncurses-devel

Now, check if GCC is installed properly, by

$ gcc -v

Download the latest source¶

Now, we gonna get the latest code of Zsh.
Please update the link (in the shown command) with the latest by checking this web-folder.
Don’t forget to update the filename as well, if needed.

$ cd /usr/local/src
$ sudo curl -L https://www.zsh.org/pub/zsh-5.8.tar.xz \
-o zsh-5.8.tar.xz

Build & Install¶

Unzip the file, “dig in” to the folder, and build & install from the source.

$ sudo tar -xf zsh-5.8.tar.xz  # the actual version of the downloaded file might be different
$ cd zsh-5.8
$ sudo ./configure && sudo make && sudo make install

Final steps¶

Add Zsh to the login shells by adding ‘/usr/local/bin/zsh’ on the last line of the config file, /etc/shells

$ sudo -e /etc/shells
$ sudo chsh $USER

Update the system’s default symlink to the new Zsh version.

$ sudo ln -sf /usr/local/bin/zsh /bin/zsh
$ zsh --version

It’s always a good habit to clean up after doing stuffs. ;)

$ sudo make clean

That’s it !

Want to have a super, cool-looking command shell? Gotcha, fam. Check out my blog on Pimping up My Linux Terminal.

If you find this post helpful, you can show your support through Patreon or Paypal or by buying me a coffee. Thanks!

Ubuntu - Update APT-GET Server to Use Fastest Mirror

2016-10-10T00:00:00+06:00

Prelude¶

By default, Ubuntu sets the update server pointing to its own (http://archive.ubuntu.com). It is the safest bet for Ubuntu. But, that’s not the case for users, especially who are outside USA. To make it smoother as well as distribute the load, Ubuntu also provides a list of mirror sites. You can find the official mirror list here.

However, it needs some configuration.

On GUI¶

Yes, you can do the selection on Ubuntu using its GUI tool. But, the problem is it don’t always work as you want.

It works on geolocation, giving me the local server, which is waaaayy slower where I am. The network temporal distance is the important factor here, not spatial distance (http://askubuntu.com/a/9035/113604)

so, what else do we have ?¶

I use a handy tool for this purpose to point me to the fastest server FOR ME. It’s apt-select.

To install it, i found this method most hassle-free. You may also try pip install method described on the repo’s README file.

$ git clone https://github.com/jblakeman/apt-select.git

That’s it. Now to execute it, just run the “main” Python file.

$ cd apt-select
$ ./apt-select.py -c -t 3 -m one-week-behind

We are choosing here the best 3 mirrors(due to -t 3) which are at most one week behind from the main Ubuntu server. For general purposes, that’s good enough.

It will choose one using the latency & ping time, and also show servers’ bandwidth. Then the tool asks you to select new mirror from the 3 options came up. Usually, stick to the top option, hence 1. For example in my case, it shows:

[khaled:~] $ apt-select -c -t 3 -m one-week-behind
Getting list of mirrors...done.
Testing latency to mirror(s)
[3/3] 100%
Getting list of launchpad URLs...done.
Looking up 3 status(es)
[3/3] 100%
1. mirror.dhakacom.com (current)
    Latency: 1.89 ms
    Org:     dhakaCom Limited
    Status:  Up to date
    Speed:   1 Gbps
2. mirror.dhakacom.com
    Latency: 1.96 ms
    Org:     dhakaCom Limited
    Status:  Up to date
    Speed:   1 Gbps
3. archive.ubuntu.com
    Latency: 205.23 ms
    Org:     Canonical Ltd.
    Status:  Up to date
    Speed:   100 Mbps
Choose a mirror (1 - 3)
'q' to quit 1
New config file saved to /home/khaled/sources.list

Then, the tool prepares a new sources.list file to replace the system’s one with.

Now, replace the file with the new one which will be now used by the apt-get * commands. As it overwrites a system config file, you need to do with sudo.

$ sudo mv /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.backup && sudo mv sources.list /etc/apt/

That’s it. Now, all you update/upgrade will be fetched from the newly selected mirror.

However, I highly recommend to run update once right away.

$ sudo apt-get update

Then, only if you want, run upgrade:

$ sudo apt-get upgrade

I think ... - upgrade

Install the latest Zsh on CentOS

Install the pre-requisites¶

Download the latest source¶

Build & Install¶

Final steps¶

Ubuntu - Update APT-GET Server to Use Fastest Mirror

Prelude¶

On GUI¶

so, what else do we have ?¶

You may also like¶

I think ... - upgrade

Install the latest Zsh on CentOS

Install the pre-requisites¶

Download the latest source¶

Build & Install¶

Final steps¶

Related¶

Ubuntu - Update APT-GET Server to Use Fastest Mirror

Prelude¶

On GUI¶

so, what else do we have ?¶

You may also like¶