description: The primary interactive shell — conf.d layout, environment, vi-mode key bindings, the cyberdream theme, completions, and every autoloaded function.
fish is the primary interactive shell. The config is split into autoloaded files: `conf.d/` for startup snippets, `functions/` for one function per file, `completions/` for completion scripts, and `themes/` for the color theme. `config.fish` runs last and holds the prompt and atuin setup.
`dot_config/fish` is a git submodule ([prdlk/fish](https://github.com/prdlk/fish)). Edit inside the submodule, commit there, then commit the updated pointer in the chezmoi repo. None of these files are templates. chezmoi runs in symlink mode, so each target is a symlink back into the source tree and edits to `~/.config/fish/...` land in the submodule directly. `~/.config/fish/fish_variables` (universal variables, including the selected theme) is listed in `.chezmoiignore.tmpl` and stays local to each machine. `~/.config/fish/conf.d/secrets.fish` is local-only: it is listed in `.chezmoiignore.tmpl` and in the fish repo's `.gitignore`, and never committed.
`fish` is in `.chezmoidata/packages.yaml` under `packages.arch.pacman` and `packages.darwin.brew`. `.chezmoiscripts/run_onchange_before_10-packages.sh.tmpl` installs it with pacman on Arch and Homebrew on macOS. The tools that fish initializes (starship, zoxide, atuin, fzf, eza, gum, yazi, television, mise) come from the same manifest; Bun is a global mise tool (`packages.shared.mise`) and rustup comes from [15-tools](/chezmoi/scripts#15-tools). hishtory, envman, and the Go, Android, and Foundry toolchains are not in the manifest; fish initializes each one only if it is present.
`fish_plugins` is a [fisher](https://github.com/jorgebucaran/fisher) manifest with one entry:
```text ~/.config/fish/fish_plugins
jorgebucaran/nvm.fish
```
The plugin's files are committed to the repo (`conf.d/nvm.fish`, `functions/nvm.fish`, `functions/_nvm_*.fish`, `completions/nvm.fish`), so fish has `nvm` without fisher. The plugin stores Node builds in `$XDG_DATA_HOME/nvm` (default `~/.local/share/nvm`) and downloads from `https://nodejs.org/dist`. If `nvm_default_version` is set, it runs `nvm use --silent $nvm_default_version` in each interactive shell.
## Startup order
fish sources `conf.d/*.fish` in name order and then `config.fish`. The numbered files load first:
| File | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `00-path.fish` | `PATH` entries and `PNPM_HOME` |
| `__EGL_VENDOR_LIBRARY_FILENAMES`, `VK_DRIVER_FILES` | Mesa's `50_mesa.json` and RADV's `radeon_icd.json`, only when `/dev/dri/by-path/pci-0000:c4:00.0-render` (the Strix Halo iGPU) exists. Keeps the session off the compute-only eGPU, see [Thunderbolt eGPU](/desktop#thunderbolt-egpu-compute-only) |
`GOPATH`/`GOBIN` are not set here. The comment explains why: mise's fish hook re-applies its `[env]` on every prompt, so Go paths are pinned in `~/.config/mise/config.toml`, and mise provides `GOROOT`. `~/.config/go/env` holds the same values for any `go` run outside a shell.
Editor, Bun, directory-jump, and tool aliases, followed by:
- `cpy`/`pst`: `wl-copy`/`wl-paste` if `wl-copy` exists, else `pbcopy`/`pbpaste`.
- `q`: exits the shell. If `$YAZI_ID` is set and `ya` exists, it first runs `ya emit quit` so the yazi that spawned the shell quits too.
- Interactive only: `celar` and `claer` → `clear`, and `ls` → `eza --icons` when eza is installed. `clear` itself is not aliased, because an alias would shadow `functions/clear.fish`.
The full list is on the [Aliases](/shell/aliases) page. This file is plain fish, not rendered from `.chezmoidata/aliases.yaml`, so its alias set differs from bash/zsh in a few places.
### 30-ssh-agent.fish
Interactive shells without `SSH_AUTH_SOCK` source `~/.ssh/agent.env.fish` and probe with `ssh-add -l`. Exit code 2 means no agent is reachable. In that case it starts `ssh-agent -c`, rewrites its csh `setenv` lines into `set -gx`, saves them to `~/.ssh/agent.env.fish`, and sources the file. An `SSH_AUTH_SOCK` provided from outside (systemd unit, forwarding, keyring) is left alone.
### 40-tools.fish
- `mise activate fish` runs for every shell, so scripts see mise shims too.
- Interactive only, in order:
1. Print `~/.local/state/quickshell/user/generated/terminal/sequences.txt` if present. These are escape sequences that apply wallpaper-generated Material You terminal colors from quickshell.
2. `tv init fish` (television), if installed.
3. `starship init fish`, `zoxide init fish`, and `entire completion fish`, each only if installed.
4. `tv init fish` a second time. The comment says it runs before hishtory so hishtory keeps <kbd>ctrl-r</kbd>.
5. Source `~/.hishtory/config.fish` if present.
6. Activate the unsloth studio venv (`~/.unsloth/studio/unsloth_studio/bin/activate.fish`) if present.
Defines `terminal_title`, which runs on every `PWD` change and prints `ESC k <prompt_pwd> ESC \`. That sequence sets the tmux or screen window name. `functions/fish_title.fish` sets the regular terminal title.
### pnpm-filter.fish
pnpm workspace helpers. `__pnpm_pick_pkg` lists workspace packages with `pnpm m ls --depth -1 --json | jq`, and you pick one with `gum filter`.
| Function | Does |
| --- | --- |
| `pnpmf <deps…>` | Pick a package, then `pnpm --filter <pkg> add <deps>` inside a `gum spin` |
Put your own values in `~/.config/fish/conf.d/secrets.fish` on each machine. Do not reuse credentials from another clone.
:::
## config.fish
The header comment says the file should stay empty, but it holds the following:
1. **Starship with transient prompt.** `starship_transient_prompt_func` renders `starship module character` and `starship_transient_rprompt_func` renders `starship module time`. Then `starship init fish | source` and `enable_transience` run, so past prompts collapse to `❯` with the time on the right. See [Starship](/shell/starship).
2. **Bottom-pinned prompt.** In interactive shells with `FISH_BOTTOM_PROMPT=1`, `tput cup $LINES 0` moves the cursor to the last row. The comment calls `1` the default, but `10-env.fish` sets `0`, so the prompt stays at the top unless you export `FISH_BOTTOM_PROMPT=1`.
6. `fish_add_path ~/.cmux/bin` and `~/.cache/.bun/bin`.
7. Sources the first readable `~/.config/herdr/plugins/github/herdr-automatic-rename-*/shell/hook.fish`. This is herdr's automatic pane-rename hook ([herdr](/terminal/herdr)).
8. A copy of the `_atuin_ai_question_mark` function that `atuin ai init fish` used to emit (atuin 18.21 removed that command), followed by `bind "?" _atuin_ai_question_mark`.
`functions/fish_user_key_bindings.fish` turns on **vi mode** (`fish_vi_key_bindings`) first, then adds custom binds in both `insert` and `default` (normal) modes, so they work in either mode.
| <kbd>ctrl-a</kbd> | `omp-session`, then repaint: resume or start omp for the current repo by branch and session age, opening the `omp-sessions` cable only when nothing qualifies ([Scripts](/shell/scripts#omp-session)) |
| <kbd>ctrl-z</kbd> | `_jobs_bind`: with one background job, `fg` it; with several, pick one from the `jobs` cable ([television](/tools/television#jobs)) and `fg` that; with none, nothing. While a job holds the terminal, ctrl-z is still the tty's suspend, so the key toggles suspend and resume |
`_pj_bind_down` hands the key to `down-or-search` when the buffer is non-empty, the completion pager is open, or history search is active. Otherwise it runs `_pj_bind --quiet` (`PJ_QUIET=1`), so pressing down outside a project does nothing and prints no error.
The pickers run `tv --inline`, which opens on the line below the prompt and leaves the cursor there when it exits. The wrappers put the prompt back before `commandline -f repaint`, writing the cursor moves to `/dev/tty`:
| `_pj_bind [--quiet]` | `pj` with `PJ_STATE` set to a temp file | `\033[A` for `open` (cancelled) or empty (no task sources); `\n` for `ran` (the task printed output) |
| `_jobs_bind` | `fg` of the only job, or `jobs` with `TV_JOBS` set to a temp file holding the job table | `\033[A` (via `_tv_inline`) when the picker is cancelled |
`_jobs_bind` runs `fg` by replacing the command line with ` __jobs_bind_fg <id>` (leading space: kept out of history) and executing it, not from inside the binding. A binding runs while fish's reader still owns the terminal with extended keys on, so a job started with `&` that had never held the terminal got ctrl-z and ctrl-c as escape sequences instead of signals. `__jobs_bind_fg` erases the echoed prompt line (`\033[A\033[2K` on `/dev/tty`) and runs `fg` with its "Send job … to foreground" message sent to `/dev/null`, so resuming leaves nothing on screen. Text already typed is put back at the next prompt by a one-shot `fish_prompt` handler.
zsh and bash bind <kbd>ctrl-o</kbd>, <kbd>ctrl-e</kbd>, <kbd>ctrl-p</kbd>, <kbd>down</kbd>, and <kbd>ctrl-t</kbd> the same way ([bash and zsh](/shell/bash-zsh)). Inside television, <kbd>ctrl-e</kbd> runs the channel's `edit` action and <kbd>ctrl-h</kbd> its `goto_parent_dir` action (`~/.config/television/config.toml`). The config and cables are on the [television](/tools/television) page.
Under kitty, <kbd>ctrl-g</kbd> (lazygit overlay), <kbd>ctrl-y</kbd> (yazi split), and <kbd>ctrl-h/j/k/l</kbd> (split navigation) are mapped in `kitty.conf` and never reach fish. The fish binds for those keys only apply in other terminals. See [kitty](/terminal/kitty).
The prompt shows `❮` in green in vi normal mode (starship's `vimcmd_symbol`).
## Theme
`themes/cyberdream.theme` is a fish theme file with colors from [cyberdream.nvim](https://github.com/scottmckendry/cyberdream.nvim) and preferred background `#16181a`. The repo ships the file but does not select it. The active theme is stored in `fish_variables`, which chezmoi ignores, so pick it once per machine with `fish_config theme save cyberdream`.
Every file in `functions/` is autoloaded by name. Several also exist as POSIX scripts in `~/.local/bin` for bash and zsh. In fish the function shadows the script. See [Scripts](/shell/scripts) for why the cd-style helpers must stay shell functions.
| Function | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `_nvm_index_update` | nvm.fish internal: downloads `index.tab` from `$nvm_mirror` into `$nvm_data/.index` |
| `ai` | `gum choose` among `claude`, `opencode`, `codex`, `hermes`, `fractal`. `claude` runs with `--dangerously-skip-permissions` |
| `c` | `clear` with no argument, `cd <dir>` with one |
| `c2p` | fzf-pick a `.hbs` template under `~/.config/code2prompt` and run `code2prompt --template` |
| `cd` | `builtin cd`. If that fails, `zoxide query` the argument. Every successful cd is recorded with `zoxide add` |
| `clear` | Prints `ESC[2J ESC[3J ESC[1;1H` to clear the screen and kitty scrollback, then re-pins the prompt if `FISH_BOTTOM_PROMPT=1`. Falls back to `command clear` when not interactive |
| `clip-last` | Re-runs `$history[1]`, pipes the output to `cpy`, and sends a `notify-send` notification |
| `cp-appid` | fzf-pick a `.desktop` app ID and copy it with `wl-copy` (desktop helper, see [niri](/desktop/niri)) |
| `czs` | chezmoi sync: `chezmoi status`, `chezmoi re-add` of drifted files, commit the source repo, then `git pull --rebase --autostash` and `git push` if ahead. Optional targets scope it (for example `czs ~/.config/fish`). Messages print with a `chs:` prefix |
| `extract_agents <dir>` | Copies every `AGENTS.md` under the current tree into `<dir>`, preserving paths |
| `fab` | fzf-pick a Fabric pattern from `~/.config/fabric/pattern_explainations.json` (description in the preview, <kbd>ctrl-/</kbd> toggles it) and run it, feeding piped stdin if any |
| `fish_title` | Terminal title: `prompt_pwd`, or `<host (10 chars)>:<pwd>` over SSH |
| `fish_user_key_bindings` | Vi mode plus the custom binds above |
| `gdc` | `gum confirm`, then `git reset --hard HEAD` and `git clean -fd` |
| `gh-sonr-org-migrate` | Script body (see the warning below) that moves every repo from `*sonr*` GitHub orgs into `sonr-io` and deletes the emptied orgs |
| `ghg <repo>` | `ghg-clone <repo>` (ghq get), cd into the clone, `clear`, `onefetch` |
| `ghn <name>` | Runs `~/.local/bin/ghn` to create and clone a private repo, then cds into it |
| `gho` | `tv ghq-repos --inline` (repo/vault picker); returns if nothing was picked, else cds into the result, `clear`, and `onefetch` inside git repos |
| `git-summary [flags]` | `code2prompt` over the repo root, including only `AGENTS.md` files, using `~/.config/code2prompt/agents-md.hbs`. Extra flags pass through |
| `gtm [repo]` | Migrates GitHub repos to a prad.codes (Gitea) org with `tea repos migrate`. With no argument, fzf multi-selects from `gh repo list`. You pick the target org and migration options (wiki, issues, labels, pull-requests, releases, milestones, lfs, mirror) with gum, private repos stay private, and it offers to clone the results with `ghg-clone`. Fish only |
| `launch_omp_livediff_overlay` | Uses `kitty @` to overlay `omp` on the current window with a `livediff` vsplit beside it. Needs `KITTY_LISTEN_ON` |
| `lc-elir [root]` | fzf multi-select numbered LeetCode solution files (`1234.slug.js`/`.ts`) and run `omp -p "/leetcode-eli5 <file>"` on each |
| `mdcp <url>` | `curl.md <url>`, copy the result with `cpy`, and preview it with `mdfried` |
| `mdp` | fzf-pick a Markdown file up to 3 levels deep (mdfried preview) and open it in `mdfried` |
Functions defined inside `conf.d/` and `config.fish` rather than `functions/`: `q` (20-aliases), `terminal_title` (50-terminal-title), the `pnpmf*` helpers and `__pnpm_pick_pkg` (pnpm-filter), the `_nvm_install`/`_nvm_update`/`_nvm_uninstall` event handlers (nvm), and `starship_transient_prompt_func`, `starship_transient_rprompt_func`, and `_atuin_ai_question_mark` (config.fish).
`functions/gh-sonr-org-migrate.fish` is a script, not a function definition. Running `gh-sonr-org-migrate` in fish autoloads the file, which runs the whole fish migration flow. Because the file defines no function of that name, fish then falls through to the bash port at `~/.local/bin/gh-sonr-org-migrate` and starts a second run. Cancel the second run at its first `gum` prompt, or call the bash script by its full path.
:::
## auto-Niri.fish
```fish ~/.config/fish/auto-Niri.fish
# Auto start Niri on tty1
if test -z "$DISPLAY" ;and test "$XDG_VTNR" -eq 1
mkdir -p ~/.cache
exec niri-session > ~/.cache/niri.log 2>&1
end
```
This file is applied only on Linux with role `desktop` or `laptop`. It is not in `conf.d/`, so fish does not load it automatically, and nothing in the repo sources it. To start niri on login to tty1, source it from a login-shell snippet. See [niri](/desktop/niri).
