What Plugins and Themes Are Included with Oh My Zsh?

Updated

Oh My Zsh bundles 300+ plugins and 150 themes according to its official site. Plugins add commands, aliases, and helpers that speed up common developer tasks; themes change the look and information shown in your command prompt. You can browse the plugin list and preview themes through the links on ohmyz.sh before deciding what to enable.

What "bundled" means here

The framework ships with these plugins and themes already included in the installation — you don't download each one separately. What you actually get in your shell depends on which ones you switch on in your Zsh configuration.

  • Plugins are loaded by name in your config file. Enabling one makes its functions, aliases, and helpers available in your terminal.
  • Themes are selected one at a time. Only the active theme controls your prompt's appearance.

Plugins: what they do and how to browse

Per the site, the bundled plugins are meant to "make your life as a software developer easier." In practice that means things like shortcuts for version control, faster navigation, and helpers for tools you already use.

To see what's available:

  1. Go to ohmyz.sh.
  2. Follow the Plugins link (the site labels it "Browse 300+ plugins").
  3. Open any plugin's page to read what it provides before enabling it.

Because the exact plugin set changes over time, treat the on-site list as the current source of truth rather than a fixed catalog.

Themes: what they change and how to find one

Themes affect only the prompt — colors, symbols, and which details (like git branch or path) are displayed. The site notes it currently ships with 150 themes bundled and offers a "Find your new theme" entry point to preview them.

A practical way to choose:

  • Browse the theme gallery on the site.
  • Note the theme name you like.
  • Set that name as your theme in your Zsh configuration, then restart or reload your shell to see it.

How to decide what to enable

Goal What to look at Why
Speed up daily commands Plugin list Plugins add aliases and helpers for tasks you repeat
Change prompt appearance Theme gallery Themes control colors and prompt info
Keep things light Enable few plugins Each enabled plugin adds load and surface area

Start with a small set of plugins tied to tools you actually use, pick one theme, and add more only when you hit a task the current setup doesn't cover.

Common sticking points

  • Browsing vs. enabling: seeing a plugin on the site doesn't turn it on — you still have to enable it in your configuration.
  • One theme at a time: selecting a new theme replaces the previous one rather than stacking.
  • Counts drift: the "300+" and "150" figures are the site's current numbers; the live lists are what matter when you're choosing.