Customize zsh's prompt when displaying previous command exit code

zsh exit-code
unode picture unode · Dec 17, 2010 · Viewed 9.7k times · Source

Zsh includes the ability to display the return code/exit code of the previous command in the prompt by using the %? escape sequence.

However I would like to have the following prompt:

user@host ~ [%?] %

when the exit code is different from 0 and:

user@host ~ %

when exit code is 0.

If I use %? alone it is always displayed, even if %? is 0. In addition I want the square brackets but only when the exit code not 0.

What is the simplest way to do this?

Answer

Dennis Williamson picture Dennis Williamson · Dec 17, 2010

Add this in the position in PS1 where you want the exit code to appear:

%(?..[%?] )

It's a conditional expression. The part between the two dots (nothing in this case) is output if the expression before the first dot is true. The part after the second dot is output if it's false.

For example:

PS1='%n%m %~ %(?..[%?] )%# '

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