Powerlevel9k
A ZSH prompt theme that shows useful info like git status and exit codes, now deprecated.
- Stars
- 13.4k
- Forks
- 910
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Shell
- Last update
- 6.5 years ago
- Type
- Dev tool
This repository is archived and no longer maintained.
What it is
Powerlevel9k is a theme for the ZSH shell that customizes the terminal prompt using Powerline fonts. It shows information such as the current directory, git status, and the result of the last command, and it can be extended with segments for things like Node.js, Python, or AWS profiles. The project is archived and its README says it is deprecated and unmaintained, recommending Powerlevel10k instead.
- Show the current directory, git branch and status, and last command exit code in the prompt
- Add prompt segments for Node.js, Python virtualenv, or AWS profile to the prompt
- Customize which segments appear on the left or right side of the prompt via ~/.zshrc
Great for
- Users who already run an older setup based on Powerlevel9k and want to understand it
- People curious about the history of ZSH prompt themes
- Anyone who wants a prompt that works without extra configuration, if they accept that it is no longer maintained
Not ideal for
- New users starting fresh, because the README says it is deprecated and recommends Powerlevel10k
- People who need security fixes or compatibility updates, because the project is archived and unmaintained
- Users who do not use ZSH, because it is a ZSH theme
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: ZSH shell · A Powerline-patched font
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Powerlevel9k/powerlevel9k.git - 2
Run it
- Follow the installation instructions in the project wiki to install the theme.
- Install a Powerline font and select it in your terminal.
- Open a new terminal session to see the prompt.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Set POWERLEVEL9K_LEFT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS and POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS in ~/.zshrc to choose segments.
- Use the custom_command segment to display the output of an arbitrary command.
- Use command_execution_time to show how long the last command took.
Downloads
Strengths
- Provides a large set of prompt segments, documented in the README
- Works with vanilla ZSH and with frameworks such as Oh-My-Zsh, Prezto, and Antigen
- Has a large community, with over 13,000 stars on GitHub
Trade-offs
- Archived and unmaintained, with the last push in April 2020
- The README directs users to Powerlevel10k instead
- Requires installing a Powerline-compatible font to display icons correctly
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| powerlevel9k (this) | 13.4k | Dev tool | beginner | 6.5 years ago | Users who already run an older setup based on Powerlevel9k and want to understand it |
| powerlevel10k | 55.3k | Dev tool | beginner | 2 months ago | Zsh users who want a informative prompt that does not slow down typing |
| oh-my-posh | 23.7k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers who want their terminal prompt to show extra context |
| spaceship-prompt | 20.6k | Dev tool | beginner | 10 days ago | Zsh users who want useful information in their prompt without much setup |
| pure | 14.5k | Dev tool | beginner | 30 days ago | Developers who use zsh and want a simple, readable prompt |
| ohmyzsh | 190k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | People who already use zsh and want a ready-made configuration without writing it from scratch |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.