# Install zplug with Homebrew, apt, Nix Next-generation plugin manager for zsh. Version 2.4.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:zplug ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install zplug ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install zplug ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: zplug from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#zplug ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zp/zplug/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:zplug - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.4.2 - **Source summary:** Next-generation plugin manager for zsh - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - zplug-env (cli) - zplug-env (alias) ## Uses from macOS - zsh ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: In order to use zplug, please add the following to your .zshrc: export ZPLUG_HOME=$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/zplug source $ZPLUG_HOME/init.zsh - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.4.2 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/zplug/zplug - Upstream latest detected: 2.4.2 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## Project history and usage Zplug is a Zsh plugin manager that manages plugins, commands, themes, release binaries, gists, and framework assets from sources such as GitHub, Bitbucket, oh-my-zsh, prezto, and local directories. ### Project history The public `zplug/zplug` repository was created in November 2015. The README describes it as a next-generation Zsh plugin manager with parallel installation and update, lazy loading, branch/tag/commit locking, hooks, dependencies, and an interactive interface through tools such as fzf and peco. Zplug grew during the era when Zsh users were moving beyond monolithic framework installs toward declarative plugin lists in `.zshrc`. Its tag-based syntax let users mix plugins, themes, commands, GitHub release assets, oh-my-zsh plugins, prezto modules, Bitbucket repositories, gists, and local code in one loader. ### Adoption history GitHub metadata showed more than 6,000 stars by July 2026, making Zplug a well-known member of the Zsh plugin-manager wave. Official releases were active through the 2.x series in 2016 and 2017, and the batch package metadata lists Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, and Nix packaging. Its adoption was helped by compatibility rather than exclusivity: Zplug could consume oh-my-zsh and prezto assets, so users could keep familiar plugin sources while moving to a more explicit package-management style. ### How it is used Typical use is to source `init.zsh`, declare packages with `zplug` lines in `.zshrc`, run `zplug check` and `zplug install` when needed, then `zplug load` to source plugins or add commands to `$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. ### Sources - - - - input.json source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** zplug - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - zplug - 2.4.2-2: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: zplug from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | next-generation plugin manager for zsh | https://github.com/zplug/zplug - Nix - zplug: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/zp/zplug/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - zplug - 2.4.2-2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: zplug from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | next-generation plugin manager for zsh | https://github.com/zplug/zplug ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [sheldon](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sheldon/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, plugin-manager, shell, zsh. - [fizsh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fizsh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, zsh. - [mcfly](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mcfly/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, zsh. - [shml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/shml/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell, terminal. - [aliae](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aliae/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell. - [bar](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bar/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell. - [checkbashisms](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/checkbashisms/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell. - [desk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/desk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, shell. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/zplug.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/zplug.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph