the xonsh shell

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Xonsh (sounds like “consh”) is a modern, full-featured and cross-platform python shell. The language is a superset of Python 3 with seamless integration of shell functionality and commands. It works on all major systems including Linux, OSX, and Windows. Xonsh is meant for the daily use of experts and novices.

Comparison

Xonsh is significantly different from most other shells or shell tools. The following table lists built in features and capabilities that various tools may or may not share.

	Bash	zsh	plumbum	fish	IPython	xonsh
Meant as a shell	✓	✓		✓		✓
Native cross-platform			✓	✓	✓	✓
Practical language			✓	✓	✓	✓
Typed variables and objects			✓	✓	✓	✓
Syntax highlighting		✓		✓	✓	✓
Large standard library		✓			✓	✓
Stays readable at scale			✓			✓
Testable			✓			✓
User-patchable			✓			✓
Package and deps manager						✓
AI friendly						✓
Rich history backend						✓

Installation

Xonsh can be installed and run with various methods:

• Xonsh Installation General Guide
• AppImage
• Docker container

Guides

• Tutorial
• Tutorial: History
• Tutorial: Macros
• Tutorial: Extensions (Xontribs)
• Tutorial: Xonsh Projects
• Tutorial: Events
• Tutorial: Programmable Tab-Completion
• Tutorial: Write Your Own History Backend
• Tutorial: Subprocess Strings
• Tutorial: prompt_toolkit custom keybindings
• Bash to Xonsh Translation Guide
• Editor and IDE Support
• Subprocess Types Table
• Python Virtual Environments
• Keyboard Shortcuts

Config Files and Settings

• Run Control File
• Updating and customizing xonsh
• Environment Variables
• Built-in Aliases
• Core Events
• Platform-specific tips and tricks

Contributing

We highly encourage contributions to xonsh! If you would like to contribute, it is as easy as forking the repository on GitHub, making your changes, and issuing a pull request. If you have any questions about this process don’t hesitate to join to Xonsh Zulip Community.

See the Developer’s Guide for more information about contributing.

Python versions support policy

Xonsh adopts NEP-0029 in supporting Python versions. Simply speaking a minor Python release (X.*) will be supported for 42 months from its date of initial release. Since Python has adopted yearly release cycle, most of the time, the latest 4 minor versions of Python would be supported at any given time.

Contact Us

If you have questions or comments, please:

• Open technical issue

• Ask question to community (new)

• Join Zulip Community with core xonsh developers

• Page us on Gitter or IRC channel #xonsh on OFTC

• Join the mailing list

• Public talks

Helpful Links

• GitHub Repository: releases, changelog

• GitHub topics: xonsh and xontrib

• DockerHub images

• Cookiecutter template to creating xontribs

• Index

• Module Index

• Search Page

Fork me on GitHub

Development Spiral

• Xonsh API
• Developer’s Guide
• Xonsh Change Log
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Wishlist & To-Dos