slick - async ZSH prompt

How to use

Install:

cargo install slick

To install cargo:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

If in Linux you may need install this:

apt install -y build-essential libssl-dev pkg-config

check your PATH $HOME/.cargo/bin/slick:w

Then add this to your .zshrc:

zle -N zle-keymap-select
zle -N zle-line-init
zmodload zsh/datetime
autoload -Uz add-zsh-hook
add-zsh-hook precmd slick_prompt_precmd
add-zsh-hook preexec slick_prompt_preexec

typeset -g slick_prompt_data
typeset -g slick_prompt_timestamp

SLICK_PATH=$HOME/.cargo/bin/slick

function slick_prompt_refresh {
    local exit_status=$?
    read -r -u $1 slick_prompt_data
    PROMPT=$($SLICK_PATH prompt -k "$KEYMAP" -r $exit_status -d ${slick_prompt_data:-""} -t ${slick_prompt_timestamp:-$EPOCHSECONDS})
    unset slick_prompt_timestamp

    zle reset-prompt

    # Remove the handler and close the fd
    zle -F $1
    exec {1}<&-
}

function zle-line-init zle-keymap-select {
    PROMPT=$($SLICK_PATH prompt -k "$KEYMAP" -d ${slick_prompt_data:-""})
    zle && zle reset-prompt
}

function slick_prompt_precmd() {
    slick_prompt_data=""
    local fd
    exec {fd}< <($SLICK_PATH precmd)
    zle -F $fd slick_prompt_refresh
}

function slick_prompt_preexec() {
    slick_prompt_timestamp=$EPOCHSECONDS

    # Set cursor style
    # 0  ⇒  blinking block.
    # 1  ⇒  blinking block (default).
    # 2  ⇒  steady block.
    # 3  ⇒  blinking underline.
    # 4  ⇒  steady underline.
    # 5  ⇒  blinking bar, xterm.
    # 6  ⇒  steady bar, xterm.

    echo -ne "\e[4 q";
}

🔤 Font Setup

Seeing boxes (□) instead of symbols? You need a Nerd Font.

Quick fix:

1. Download a Nerd Font: https://www.nerdfonts.com/font-downloads
   • Recommended: Monoid Nerd Font (clean, minimalist), JetBrainsMono Nerd Font, FiraCode Nerd Font
2. Install the font on your system
3. Configure your terminal to use it
4. Restart terminal

Using Monoid Nerd Font? Works great with slick's minimalist design!

Don't want to install fonts? Use Unicode or ASCII alternatives:

export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL="→"    # Unicode arrow
# or
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL=">"    # ASCII

Customizations

Slick can be customized using environment variables.

Quick Start

# Disable git fetch for faster prompts
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_FETCH=0

# Custom symbols
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL="❯"
export SLICK_PROMPT_VICMD_SYMBOL="❮"

# Custom colors
export SLICK_PROMPT_PATH_COLOR=blue
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL_COLOR=magenta

All Environment Variables

General Settings

export SLICK_PROMPT_CMD_MAX_EXEC_TIME=5        # Max command time to display (seconds)
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_FETCH=1                # Enable git fetch (1=yes, 0=no)
export SLICK_PROMPT_NO_GIT_UNAME=0             # Hide git username (1=hide, 0=show)
export SLICK_PROMPT_NON_BREAKING_SPACE=" "     # Non-breaking space character

Prompt Symbols

export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL="$"                 # Main prompt symbol
export SLICK_PROMPT_VICMD_SYMBOL=">"           # Vi command mode symbol
export SLICK_PROMPT_ROOT_SYMBOL="#"            # Root user symbol
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_REMOTE_AHEAD="⇡"       # Git ahead symbol
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_REMOTE_BEHIND="⇣"      # Git behind symbol
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_AUTH_SYMBOL="🔒"       # Git auth failed symbol

Colors

# Colors can be named (red, blue, etc.) or numbers (0-255)
export SLICK_PROMPT_ERROR_COLOR=196            # Error message color
export SLICK_PROMPT_PATH_COLOR=74              # Directory path color
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL_COLOR=5             # Prompt symbol color
export SLICK_PROMPT_VICMD_COLOR=3              # Vi command mode color
export SLICK_PROMPT_ROOT_COLOR=1               # Root user color
export SLICK_PROMPT_SSH_COLOR=8                # SSH session color
export SLICK_PROMPT_TIME_ELAPSED_COLOR=3       # Command time color

Git Colors

export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_BRANCH_COLOR=3         # Branch name color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_MASTER_BRANCH_COLOR=160  # master/main branch color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_ACTION_COLOR=3         # Git action (merge, rebase) color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_STATUS_COLOR=5         # Modified files color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_STAGED_COLOR=7         # Staged files color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_REMOTE_COLOR=6         # Remote status color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_UNAME_COLOR=8          # Git username color
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_AUTH_COLOR=red         # Git auth failed color

Example Configurations

Minimal/Fast (no network calls)

export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_FETCH=0           # No git fetch
export SLICK_PROMPT_NO_GIT_UNAME=1        # Hide username
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL=">"            # Simple symbol

Colorful

export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL="➜"
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL_COLOR=cyan
export SLICK_PROMPT_PATH_COLOR=blue
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_BRANCH_COLOR=yellow
export SLICK_PROMPT_ERROR_COLOR=red

Nerd Fonts (Monoid, JetBrainsMono, etc.)

⚠️ Requires a Nerd Font - Works great with Monoid Nerd Font, JetBrainsMono Nerd Font, FiraCode Nerd Font

# Example with Monoid Nerd Font or similar Nerd Fonts
export SLICK_PROMPT_SYMBOL=""           # nf-oct-chevron_right
export SLICK_PROMPT_VICMD_SYMBOL=""       # nf-oct-chevron_left
export SLICK_PROMPT_ROOT_SYMBOL=""        # nf-fa-flash
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_AUTH_SYMBOL=""    # nf-fa-lock
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_REMOTE_AHEAD=""   # nf-md-arrow_up
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_REMOTE_BEHIND=""  # nf-md-arrow_down

Download Nerd Fonts: https://www.nerdfonts.com/

These symbols work with any Nerd Font (Monoid, JetBrainsMono, FiraCode, Hack, etc.)

See more examples in envrc.

🔒 SSH Authentication Detection

Slick automatically detects when SSH remotes require authentication and displays a lock symbol (🔒).

How it works:

• Non-blocking: First time you cd into a repo, auth check runs in background
• Subsequent prompts show the lock symbol if SSH authentication is required
• Cache-based: Auth status is cached for 5 minutes in ~/.cache/slick/
• Only checks SSH remotes (git@ and ssh://) with 2-second timeout
• No hanging or password prompts - completely non-interactive

Example:

# cd into repo with SSH remote requiring auth
cd my-private-repo
# First prompt: no lock (background check running)
# Next prompt: 🔒 appears if auth is needed

Configure the lock symbol:

export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_AUTH_SYMBOL="🔒"  # Default
export SLICK_PROMPT_GIT_AUTH_COLOR=red     # Default

See TEST_README.md for testing instructions.

Inspired by:

• pure
• purs
• zsh-efgit-prompt