description: Shell history search with a daemon, directory-scoped up-arrow, tmux popups, a cyberdream theme, and the atuin AI inline command generator.
[atuin](https://atuin.sh) replaces shell history search in fish, bash, and zsh. It also provides `atuin ai inline`, a natural-language command generator that the fish config binds to keys.
chezmoi runs in symlink mode, but `private_` files are written as real files, so edits to `~/.config/atuin/config.toml` do not reach the repo on their own. Copy them back with `chezmoi re-add` (or `czs`, see [fish](/shell/fish#functions)). None of the files are templates, and they apply on every role.
`atuin` is listed in `.chezmoidata/packages.yaml` for pacman and Homebrew. The shells also expect atuin's standalone installer layout in `~/.atuin/bin`:
The receipt that atuin's [cargo-dist](https://opensource.axo.dev/cargo-dist/) installer writes. It records how atuin was installed, which the self-updater (`atuin update`) needs:
| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| `binaries` | `["atuin"]` |
| `install_prefix` | `~/.atuin/bin` (stored as an absolute path under `/home/prad`) |
| zsh | end of `~/.zshrc` | `eval "$(atuin init zsh)"` |
In fish, `40-tools.fish` sources hishtory before atuin, but atuin's init runs later in `config.fish` and takes <kbd>ctrl-r</kbd>. zsh also loads `suv init zsh` (suvadu) if installed.
| <kbd>ctrl-r</kbd> | all | Interactive search (`_atuin_search`) |
| <kbd>up</kbd> | all | Search opened from the up arrow. `filter_mode_shell_up_key_binding = "directory"` limits it to history from the current directory |
| <kbd>?</kbd> | fish, vi normal mode | On an empty buffer, runs `atuin ai inline --hook` |
| <kbd>ctrl-w</kbd> | fish, insert and normal mode | `atuin ai inline`, then repaint |
| <kbd>ctrl+shift+p</kbd> | kitty | [`atuin-pick`](/shell/scripts#atuin-pick): directory-filtered search in a split, running the pick in a fresh fish |
Under tmux, atuin's `[tmux]` settings open the search in a tmux popup (80% wide, 60% tall) instead of inline.
Commit `a82921c` ("add Atuin AI inline integration and keybinding") added the <kbd>ctrl-w</kbd> bind to `fish_user_key_bindings.fish` and the following to `config.fish`:
1. `atuin ai init fish | source`, in the interactive block next to `atuin init fish`.
2. A copy of the `_atuin_ai_question_mark` function that `atuin ai init fish` prints, and `bind "?" _atuin_ai_question_mark`.
The config also sets `[ai] enabled = true`.
`_atuin_ai_question_mark` works like this:
- **Buffer empty (or just `?`):** clears the line, prints OSC `133;C` to `/dev/tty` to close the terminal's semantic prompt zone (so shell-integrated terminals do not erase the TUI during a prompt reflow), then runs `atuin ai inline --hook` with stdout and stderr swapped. The TUI draws on the terminal, and the result comes back tagged:
| Output prefix | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| `__atuin_ai_print__:` | Print the text, repaint |
| `__atuin_ai_cancel__` | Repaint only |
| `__atuin_ai_execute__:` | Put the command on the line and execute it |
| `__atuin_ai_insert__:` | Put the command on the line for editing |
| anything else, non-empty | Put it on the line for editing |
- **Buffer not empty:** inserts a literal `?` under emacs bindings. Under vi or hybrid bindings, which this config uses, it does nothing.
`bind "?"` in `config.fish` has no `-M` flag, so it applies to fish's `default` mode, which is vi **normal** mode here. In insert mode <kbd>?</kbd> types a question mark. To ask for a command, press <kbd>Esc</kbd> and then <kbd>?</kbd> on an empty line, or press <kbd>ctrl-w</kbd> from either mode. The <kbd>ctrl-w</kbd> bind calls `atuin ai inline` without `--hook` and replaces fish's default <kbd>ctrl-w</kbd> word deletion.
No sync server, key, or session is configured in the repo. atuin keeps its encryption key and session under `~/.local/share/atuin`, outside chezmoi, and uses the default sync server.
:::warning[Misplaced keys]
Several keys sit after the `[dotfiles]` table header, so TOML puts them inside `[dotfiles]` rather than at the top level, and atuin ignores them. `atuin config get --resolved` confirms it:
| `update_check` | `true` | `true` (the default) |
`syntax_highlight = true` has the same problem: it sits under `[ai]`, while the comment block above it documents the `[ui]` table.
To apply these settings, move the keys above `[dotfiles]` (and `syntax_highlight` under `[ui]`) in `dot_config/atuin/private_config.toml`.
:::
## Theme
`themes/cyberdream.toml` defines a theme named `cyberdream`, using the palette shared with [fish](/shell/fish#theme) and [Starship](/shell/starship#palette):
