Skip to content
Get packs

Guide · Open source

How to use oh-my-posh: install, configure and customise your prompt

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

Oh My Posh is an open-source program that draws the prompt line in your terminal, the text you see before you type a command. This guide explains what it does, how to get the source, how its theme configuration works, and when it is a good fit. By the end you will know what you need to start customising your prompt and what to check when you choose between it and similar tools.

Oh My PoshJanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh · ★ 23.7k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Read the documentation. Open ohmyposh.dev to find install steps for your operating system and shell.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh to get the source.
  3. 3Decide what the prompt should show. Pick the context you want, such as extra project or environment information.
  4. 4Edit the theme configuration. Change the theme settings that control the prompt's content and appearance.
  5. 5Test in a new session. Open a fresh terminal and check how the prompt looks and behaves.
  6. 6Adjust one setting at a time. Make small changes so you can tell which edit caused each difference.

What Oh My Posh does

Oh My Posh is a prompt theme engine. The README describes it as shell and platform agnostic, so it is meant to work across several shells and operating systems. You control what appears in the prompt through a theme configuration.

The project lists these features: a secondary prompt, a right prompt and a transient prompt. It describes itself as easily configurable and fast.

  • Shell and platform agnostic
  • Easily configurable
  • Secondary, right and transient prompts
  • Described by the README as the most configurable prompt utility

Get the Oh My Posh source

The README's install instruction is to clone the repository. The source does not list prerequisites, so check the documentation at ohmyposh.dev for the steps that match your system before you begin.

Clone the repository with the command below.

git clone https://github.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh

Understand the theme configuration

Setup is configuration-driven. Your prompt's content and look come from a theme configuration, so changing the theme changes what the prompt shows. The README does not describe the file format in detail, so use the documentation at ohmyposh.dev for the exact settings.

Start with a simple theme and change one thing at a time. That makes it easy to see which setting produced which change.

  • Decide what context you want the prompt to show, such as extra information about your current project or environment.
  • Edit the theme configuration to add or remove those elements.
  • Open a new terminal session to check the result.

Who should use Oh My Posh and who should not

Oh My Posh suits developers who want their prompt to show more context and people who want fine-grained control over the look of their shell. It also suits anyone who switches between Windows, Linux, macOS or FreeBSD and wants one prompt setup across them.

It is not a good fit if your default prompt is enough and you do not want to edit configuration files. It is also not a full shell replacement, because the README describes it only as a prompt renderer.

What people use it for

  • Showing extra project or environment context in the prompt before each command
  • Keeping one prompt look across Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD machines
  • Adding a right prompt or transient prompt to reduce clutter in the terminal
  • Building a custom, fine-grained shell look for a personal setup

Frequently asked questions

Is Oh My Posh free?

Yes, the project is released under the MIT licence, as the repository states. The README also lists optional sponsorship and merchandise links, which are not required to use the software.

What do I need to install Oh My Posh?

The source does not list any prerequisites. The README's install instruction is to clone the repository, and the documentation at ohmyposh.dev covers the setup steps for each system.

Which shells does Oh My Posh work with?

The README describes Oh My Posh as shell and platform agnostic and says it works across Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD. The source does not list every supported shell, so check ohmyposh.dev for the current list.

Is Oh My Posh the same as oh-my-zsh?

No. The README credits oh-my-zsh as an influence, but Oh My Posh is a prompt theme engine. oh-my-zsh is a framework for managing Zsh configuration.

How does Oh My Posh compare to Starship or Powerlevel10k?

The source names Starship, Powerlevel10k and oh-my-zsh as comparable projects but does not compare them in detail. Try each on your own shell and judge the setup effort and look you prefer.

Why is my prompt not changing after I edit the theme?

The source does not cover troubleshooting. Open a new terminal session to confirm your change took effect, change one setting at a time, and check ohmyposh.dev for configuration guidance.

New agent skills, repos and AI tools — every week

The best new skills and open-source projects, the fastest-growing repos, and one free prompt. Five minutes to read. Unsubscribe anytime.

Our verdict

Oh My Posh is a good choice if you want a fast, highly configurable prompt that works across several operating systems and shells, and you are comfortable editing a theme configuration. If your default prompt already meets your needs, or you want a full shell replacement rather than a prompt tool, pick something else.

Install options & downloads