.zshrc git branch in prompt

Question

I've got a simple but custom .zshrc that I'd like to populate the prompt with the git branch I'm currently on (when in a git repo). The code below seems to work, but one prompt behind where I'm actually at.

.zshrc:

#Prompt messing
    # Load colors for prompt
    autoload -U colors && colors
    # Load version control information
    autoload -Uz vcs_info
    precmd() {
        vcs_info
        if [[ -n ${vcs_info_msg_0_} ]]; then
            # allow check for changes
            zstyle ':vcs_info:*' check-for-changes true
            #sets unstaged string to this
            zstyle ':vcs_info:git:*' unstagedstr "!"
            #sets staged string to this
            zstyle ':vcs_info:git:*' stagedstr "+"
            zstyle ':vcs_info:git:*' formats '%K{green}%u%k%K{cyan}%c%k'

            BRANCH=$(command git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
            PS1='%F{magenta}%7>>${BRANCH}%<<%f'
            PS1+='${vcs_info_msg_0_} %~; '
        else
            PS1='%~; '
        fi
    }

For example:

master ~/code/external-api; cd ..
master ~/code; 
~/code;

I would expect the second line there to not have the master in the prompt.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

user_6830594 · Answer

After going to the trouble to enabling vcs_info, you've then got your own git branch implementation with the two lines assigning $BRANCH. Setting zstyles for vcs_info really doesn't need to be repeated every time precmd() runs. It is better to use psvar and %v instead of relying on the PROMPT_SUBST option. For example:

    PS1='%(V.%v .)%~; '
    autoload -U vcs_info
    zstyle … # all the zstyle commands from before
    precmd() {
      vcs_info
      psvar[1]="${vcs_info_msg_0_}"
    }

I also wouldn't bother with the colors function. Just using %F{majenta} works better. It is a holdover from many years ago before zsh had direct support and just sets variables with literal escape sequences.

user_4497704 · Answer

According to this page you can do this with vcs_info.

# in your ~/.zshrc
autoload -Uz vcs_info
zstyle ':vcs_info:*' enable git
precmd() {
    vcs_info
}

# Prompt setup
setopt prompt_subst
PROMPT='${vcs_info_msg_0_}%# '

# Format the message
zstyle ':vcs_info:git*' formats "%{$fg[grey]%}%s %{$reset_color%}%r/%S%{$fg[grey]%} %{$fg[blue]%}%b%{$reset_color%}%m%u%c%{$reset_color%} "

user_9307265 · Answer

To fix the 'one prompt behind' problem, try adding this to ~/.zshrc, after declaring the function:

autoload -Uz add-zsh-hook
add-zsh-hook precmd precmd

The precmd function isn't a precmd function until you make it a precmd function :). A lot of folks have oh-my-zsh installed, and get the precmd hook set that way, so this part isn't always documented.

To avoid confusion, it's often preferable to use a different name for the function:

function my_precmd {
  vcs_info
  ...
}
autoload -Uz add-zsh-hook
add-zsh-hook precmd my_precmd

.zshrc git branch in prompt

3 Answers