Fish Shell (Friendly Interactive SHell) is a powerful and user-friendly command-line interface that provides a modern and intuitive experience for users. With features like syntax highlighting, autosuggestions, and an easy-to-use configuration interface, Fish is a great alternative to traditional shells like Bash. Here’s how to install Fish Shell on Ubuntu 20.04.
Step 1: Update Your Package List
Before installing any new software, it’s a good practice to update your package list to ensure you have the latest information:
sudo apt update
Step 2: Install Fish Shell
To install Fish Shell, use the following command:
sudo apt install fish
This command will download and install Fish and its dependencies from the official Ubuntu repositories.
Step 3: Change Your Default Shell
Once Fish is installed, you can make it your default shell. To do this, execute:
chsh -s /usr/bin/fish
You may need to log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.
Step 4: Verify Your Installation
To confirm that Fish is now your default shell, open a new terminal window and run:
echo $SHELL
If everything went smoothly, you should see /usr/bin/fish as the output.
Step 5: Customize Your Fish Shell
Fish comes with an interactive configuration tool that makes it easy to customize your environment. To access it, run:
fish_config
This will open a web-based interface in your default browser where you can change themes, enable or disable plugins, and more. Take some time to explore these options to enhance your Fish experience.
Step 6: Explore Fish Features
Fish Shell offers several features that make command-line tasks easier:
Syntax Highlighting: Commands and parameters are color-coded for better readability.
Autosuggestions: As you type, Fish provides suggestions based on your command history.
Web-Based Configuration: Easily customize your shell without manual edits.
Conclusion
You have successfully installed Fish Shell on Ubuntu 20.04. With its modern features and ease of use, Fish can significantly improve your command-line experience. Don’t forget to check out the official Fish documentation to dive deeper into its functionalities and optimize your workflow.
By following this guide, you can harness the power of Fish Shell and enjoy a more interactive and efficient command-line experience.
