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Using a Terminal With Your Favorite Shell

Check out the GitHub repo

https://github.com/daviwil/emacs-from-scratch

term-mode

(use-package term
  :config
  (setq explicit-shell-file-name "bash")
  ;;(setq explicit-zsh-args '())
  (setq term-prompt-regexp "^[^#$%>\n]*[#$%>] *"))
  • C-c C-p / C-c C-n - go back and forward in the buffer’s prompts (also [[ and ]] with evil-mode)
  • C-c C-k - Enter char-mode
  • C-c C-j - Return to line-mode
  • If you have evil-collection installed, term-mode will enter char mode when you use Evil’s Insert mode
  • Caveat - editing the input line with Evil motions doesn’t work

NOTE: term-mode doesn’t work on Windows: “Spawning child process: invalid argument”

For better color support

Make sure the tic program is available on your machine (could be part of ncurses package).

(use-package eterm-256color
  :hook (term-mode . eterm-256color-mode))

echo "Hello System Crafters!" | cowsay | lolcat -h 0.7

ansi-term

ansi-term is a specialization of term-mode.

Minor differences:

  • C-x is prefix key instead of C-c
  • Buffers are managed slightly differently

Same caveats for Windows still apply.

vterm (emacs-libvterm)

https://github.com/akermu/emacs-libvterm/

NOTE: This one needs to compile a native library, make sure to install its dependencies!

Differences to term:

  • Written in native code, much faster and better emulation
  • There is no line-mode / char-mode split
(use-package vterm
  :commands vterm
  :config
  (setq term-prompt-regexp "^[^#$%>\n]*[#$%>] *")
  ;;(setq vterm-shell "zsh")
  (setq vterm-max-scrollback 10000))
  • Read docs on vterm-use-vterm-prompt-detection-method for prompt detection

https://github.com/akermu/emacs-libvterm/tree/01a1332ebb11daca5408f7fcb8a08454b0176e79#shell-side-configuration

shell-mode

Runs a shell program on your computer in a more controlled buffer. Does not operate as a terminal emulator.

  • C-c C-p / C-c C-n - go back and forward in the buffer’s prompts
  • M-p / M-n - go back and forward in the input history
  • C-c C-u - delete the current input string backwards up to the cursor
  • counsel-shell-history - A searchable history of commands typed into the shell

Pros/Cons

Better colors:

https://github.com/atomontage/xterm-color

(setq comint-output-filter-functions
      (remove 'ansi-color-process-output comint-output-filter-functions))

(add-hook 'shell-mode-hook
          (lambda ()
            ;; Disable font-locking in this buffer to improve performance
            (font-lock-mode -1)
            ;; Prevent font-locking from being re-enabled in this buffer
            (make-local-variable 'font-lock-function)
            (setq font-lock-function (lambda (_) nil))
            (add-hook 'comint-preoutput-filter-functions 'xterm-color-filter nil t)))

In Windows if you like PowerShell you can use this config:

;; Kudos to Jeffrey Snover: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/dotnetinterop/run-powershell-as-a-shell-within-emacs
(setq explicit-shell-file-name "powershell.exe")
(setq explicit-powershell.exe-args '())

Eshell

(defun efs/configure-eshell ()
  ;; Save command history when commands are entered
  (add-hook 'eshell-pre-command-hook 'eshell-save-some-history)

  ;; Truncate buffer for performance
  (add-to-list 'eshell-output-filter-functions 'eshell-truncate-buffer)

  ;; Bind some useful keys for evil-mode
  (evil-define-key '(normal insert visual) eshell-mode-map (kbd "C-r") 'counsel-esh-history)
  (evil-define-key '(normal insert visual) eshell-mode-map (kbd "<home>") 'eshell-bol)
  (evil-normalize-keymaps)

  (setq eshell-history-size         10000
        eshell-buffer-maximum-lines 10000
        eshell-hist-ignoredups t
        eshell-scroll-to-bottom-on-input t))

(use-package eshell
  :hook (eshell-first-time-mode . efs/configure-eshell))
  • counsel-eshell-history - A searchable history of commands typed into the shell
(use-package eshell-git-prompt)

:config
(eshell-git-prompt-use-theme 'powerline))

Running programs in a term-mode buffer:

(with-eval-after-load 'esh-opt
  (setq eshell-destroy-buffer-when-process-dies t)
  (setq eshell-visual-commands '("htop" "zsh" "vim")))

Pros:

  • Replicates Bash with cross-platform elisp functions
  • Consistent shell experience across all OSes
  • You can run Emacs commands and arbitrary Emacs Lisp in the shell
  • You can pipe output of commands directly into an Emacs buffer
  • Supports TRAMP!

Cons:

  • Completions are not great out of the box compared to Bash
  • Eshell commands can be very slow compared to the real programs
  • Piping is much less functional than in “real” shells
  • Subshell syntax is a bit different - ${} instead of $()
  • Programs that read input (like language REPLs) can operate strangely
  • Tools that depend on setting shell environment (nvm, virtualenv, etc) don’t work
  • Can be a little slow on Windows

Interesting articles:

Recommendations

  • Use term or ansi-term if you’re on Linux / macOS and don’t care as much about output speed
  • Use vterm if you’re on Linux / macOS and want faster output and better terminal emulation
  • Use shell on Windows if you want to use PowerShell, Bash, or WSL
  • Use eshell on any OS if you want a consistent shell experience everywhere with Lisp superpowers full Emacs integration