Question 1

How to install z.lua on Windows?

Accepted Answer

For Windows cmd with clink, copy z.lua and z.cmd to clink's home directory and add it to PATH. For PowerShell, add the initialization command to profile.ps1, but note conflicts with Starship Prompt require careful ordering.

Question 2

z.lua vs autojump – which is better?

Accepted Answer

z.lua is significantly faster (10x per benchmarks) and has broader shell support, including Windows. However, autojump might be simpler for users who prefer Python-based tools or don't need Lua integration. z.lua's enhanced matching offers more intuitive jumps.

Question 3

How to import data from z.sh or autojump?

Accepted Answer

For z.sh, cat ~/.z >> ~/.zlua. For autojump, use awk to format the autojump.txt file and append to ~/.zlua. This allows seamless migration without losing history.

Question 4

Can I use z.lua with fzf for better completion?

Accepted Answer

Yes, initialize with the 'fzf' option (e.g., eval "$(lua /path/to/z.lua --init bash enhanced once fzf)") to enable fzf-based tab completion in Bash and Zsh. This provides interactive fuzzy selection, but requires fzf installed in PATH.

Question 5

What is the enhanced matching mode and how do I enable it?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced matching prioritizes the last path segment for more accurate jumps. Enable it by setting $_ZL_MATCH_MODE=1 or appending 'enhanced' during initialization (e.g., in .bashrc). It falls back to default matching if no match is found.

Question 6

How to quickly go back to parent directories without typing cd ../../..?

Accepted Answer

Use the -b option: 'z -b' jumps to the project root, 'z -b foo' goes to the closest parent starting with 'foo'. Alias it to 'zb' for convenience, and it works with interactive modes like -i or -I for selection.

z.lua

What is z.lua?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Open Source Alternative To

Frequently Asked Questions