Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install zplug with Homebrew, apt, Nix

Next-generation plugin manager for zsh. Version 2.4.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install zplug

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install zplug

Debian stable package indexes · zplug · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#zplug

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/zp/zplug/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Next-generation plugin manager for zsh

Commands and aliases

  • zplug-env

history

Project history and usage

Zplug is a Zsh plugin manager that manages plugins, commands, themes, release binaries, gists, and framework assets from sources such as GitHub, Bitbucket, oh-my-zsh, prezto, and local directories.

Project history

The public `zplug/zplug` repository was created in November 2015. The README describes it as a next-generation Zsh plugin manager with parallel installation and update, lazy loading, branch/tag/commit locking, hooks, dependencies, and an interactive interface through tools such as fzf and peco.

Zplug grew during the era when Zsh users were moving beyond monolithic framework installs toward declarative plugin lists in `.zshrc`. Its tag-based syntax let users mix plugins, themes, commands, GitHub release assets, oh-my-zsh plugins, prezto modules, Bitbucket repositories, gists, and local code in one loader.

Adoption history

GitHub metadata showed more than 6,000 stars by July 2026, making Zplug a well-known member of the Zsh plugin-manager wave. Official releases were active through the 2.x series in 2016 and 2017, and the batch package metadata lists Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, and Nix packaging.

Its adoption was helped by compatibility rather than exclusivity: Zplug could consume oh-my-zsh and prezto assets, so users could keep familiar plugin sources while moving to a more explicit package-management style.

How it is used

Typical use is to source `init.zsh`, declare packages with `zplug` lines in `.zshrc`, run `zplug check` and `zplug install` when needed, then `zplug load` to source plugins or add commands to `$PATH`. The README examples cover frozen packages, GitHub release binaries, conditional loads, build hooks, dependencies, themes, and local plugins.

The command set includes install, load, list, update, check, status, clean, clear, and info, giving Zsh users a small package-manager vocabulary inside their shell startup file.

Why package nerds care

Zplug matters because it treats shell customization like a package graph rather than a pile of sourced scripts. For package nerds, it captures a specific moment in dotfile culture: Zsh users wanted faster startup, lockable revisions, parallel installs, and the ability to mix plugin ecosystems without adopting one big framework.

Timeline

  • 2015-11-21: The public `zplug/zplug` repository is created.
  • 2016: Zplug 2.x releases ship regularly, including 2.1.0, 2.2.0, and 2.3.x.
  • 2017-12-28: Zplug 2.4.2 is published on GitHub.
  • 2026: GitHub metadata still shows an active repository with thousands of stars and package-manager availability in the batch metadata.

Related projects

  • oh-my-zsh and prezto are plugin/theme ecosystems Zplug can consume.
  • antigen is an older Zsh plugin manager explicitly contrasted in the README.
  • fzf, peco, and zaw are optional interactive selectors referenced by Zplug.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
zplug-envcliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08
manager version2.4.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected2.4.2

https://github.com/zplug/zplug

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:zplug
Version2.4.2
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/zplug
Homepagehttps://github.com/zplug/zplug/
Repositoryhttps://github.com/zplug/zplug
Upstream docshttps://github.com/zplug/zplug#readme
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://github.com/zplug/zplug/archive/refs/tags/2.4.2.tar.gz
Uses from macOSzsh
Bottleavailable (on all)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared
CaveatsIn order to use zplug, please add the following to your .zshrc: export ZPLUG_HOME=$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/zplug source $ZPLUG_HOME/init.zsh

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namezplug
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

zplug 2.4.2-2

next-generation plugin manager for zsh

https://github.com/zplug/zplug

sudo apt install zplug
  • Section: shells
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Zplug
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: zplug from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

zplug

nix profile install nixpkgs#zplug
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Zplug
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zp/zplug/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

zplug 2.4.2-2

next-generation plugin manager for zsh

https://github.com/zplug/zplug

sudo apt install zplug
  • Section: universe/shells
  • Architecture: all
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Zplug
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: zplug from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Same workflow

  • sheldonShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, plugin-manager, shell, zsh.
  • fizshShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, zsh.
  • mcflyShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, zsh.
  • shmlShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, terminal.
  • aliaeShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell.
  • barShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • Nucleus package database
  • av.db category and tag curation
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment