Linux 'z' command is a must have terminal tool

There are very few terminal tools that genuinely change how you work day to day. For me, the z command is one of those rare utilities I cannot live without anymore.

If you have ever found yourself typing long cd paths repeatedly, or running ls just to remember where something lives, z almost completely eliminates that friction.

What is z?

z is a smarter alternative to cd. Instead of navigating directories by typing full paths, z learns where you go over time and lets you jump there using partial names.

Once you have visited a directory even once, z remembers it.

Example:

z www

That single command can take you straight to a deeply nested directory under /var/www without you needing to remember or type the full path.

No tabbing. No guessing. No mental overhead.

Why z Is So Powerful

It Learns Automatically

Every time you use cd, z records that location. Over time, it builds a weighted database based on your actual behavior.

• Frequently used directories get higher scores
• Recently visited directories are favored
• Old or unused paths slowly lose relevance

This means z adapts naturally as your work changes.

It Self-Corrects

One of the most underrated features of z is how forgiving it is.

If z www ever takes you to the wrong directory, you simply cd to the correct one manually. z notices the change and updates its scoring automatically.

There is nothing to reset or configure. It just learns and moves on.

Partial Matches Are Enough

You do not need exact names or full paths.

z api
z client
z docker
z logs

As long as the directory exists somewhere in your history, z usually gets it right.

This is especially useful in large codebases, container-heavy setups, or repositories with deep folder structures.

Real-World Workflow Example

Before z:

cd /var/www/some-project/server/app/Http/Controllers

After z:

z controllers

That difference adds up fast when you spend all day in the terminal.

Installation

Installing z is quick and painless.

macOS (Homebrew)

brew install z

Ubuntu / Debian

sudo apt install z

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S z

Manual Install

The original script is lightweight and easy to install manually:

• GitHub repository: https://github.com/rupa/z

After installation, make sure it is sourced in your shell configuration file, such as .bashrc, .zshrc, or equivalent.

Alternatives Worth Mentioning

There are a few newer tools inspired by z:

• zoxide
  https://github.com/ajeetdsouza/zoxide
  A modern Rust-based implementation with additional features
• autojump
  https://github.com/wting/autojump
  A well-known alternative with a similar learning model

They are all solid, but the original z remains simple, reliable, and more than sufficient for most workflows.

Why I Recommend It to Every Developer

If you:

• Spend a lot of time in the terminal
• Work across multiple codebases or environments
• Jump between backend, frontend, containers, and scripts
• Hate retyping paths

Then z is an easy win.

Once it is installed, directory navigation fades into the background. You type what feels right, hit enter, and keep working.

That alone makes it a must-have tool.