Zed terminal shell selector with arrow-key menu

README.md

zed-shell

Interactive shell selector for Zed terminal tabs. Opens an arrow-key menu on each new terminal.

Install

brew install lazygit yazi
brew install --cask font-jetbrains-mono-nerd-font  # for yazi icons

mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
# download zed-shell and zed-menu.py from this gist into ~/.local/bin/
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/zed-shell ~/.local/bin/zed-menu.py

Add to Zed settings.json:

"terminal": {
  "shell": { "program": "/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.local/bin/zed-shell" },
  "font_family": "JetBrainsMono Nerd Font"
}

Controls

↑ ↓ navigate · Enter select · q / Ctrl+C cancel

zed-menu.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import sys, os, tty, termios

ESC = '\x1b'
RESET = f'{ESC}[0m'
ORANGE = f'{ESC}[1;38;5;202m'
GRAY = f'{ESC}[38;5;245m'
CLEAR = f'{ESC}[2J{ESC}[H'

def draw(tty_out, title, items, cur):
    out = CLEAR
    out += f'\r\n  {GRAY}{title}{RESET}\r\n\r\n'
    for i, item in enumerate(items):
        if i == cur:
            out += f'  {ORANGE}❯ {item}{RESET}\r\n'
        else:
            out += f'    {GRAY}{item}{RESET}\r\n'
    tty_out.write(out.encode())
    tty_out.flush()

def menu(tty_in, tty_out, title, items):
    cur = 0
    fd = tty_in.fileno()
    old = termios.tcgetattr(fd)
    tty.setraw(fd)
    try:
        draw(tty_out, title, items, cur)
        while True:
            ch = os.read(fd, 1)
            if ch == b'\x1b':
                rest = os.read(fd, 2)
                ch += rest
            if ch in (b'\r', b'\n'):
                return cur
            elif ch in (b'\x03', b'q'):
                return -1
            elif ch == b'\x1b[A' and cur > 0:
                cur -= 1
                draw(tty_out, title, items, cur)
            elif ch == b'\x1b[B' and cur < len(items) - 1:
                cur += 1
                draw(tty_out, title, items, cur)
    finally:
        termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, old)
        tty_out.write(CLEAR.encode())
        tty_out.flush()

MAIN_ITEMS = [
    "claude     AI coding assistant",
    "zsh        Standard shell",
    "uv + zsh   zsh with uv project env",
    "python     Python REPL (uv)",
    "lazygit    Git TUI",
    "yazi       File manager TUI",
]

CLAUDE_ITEMS = [
    "new       Start a new session",
    "continue  Resume most recent session",
    "resume    Pick a previous session",
]

try:
    tty_in  = open('/dev/tty', 'rb', buffering=0)
    tty_out = open('/dev/tty', 'wb', buffering=0)
except OSError:
    print("zsh")
    sys.exit(0)

choice = menu(tty_in, tty_out, "Open in...", MAIN_ITEMS)

if choice == 0:
    mode = menu(tty_in, tty_out, "Claude session...", CLAUDE_ITEMS)
    results = ["claude", "claude --continue", "claude --resume"]
    print(results[mode] if 0 <= mode < len(results) else "zsh")
elif choice == 1:
    print("zsh")
elif choice == 2:
    print("uv+zsh")
elif choice == 3:
    print("python")
elif choice == 4:
    print("lazygit")
elif choice == 5:
    print("yazi")
else:
    print("zsh")

zed-shell

#!/bin/zsh

export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/local/bin:$PATH"

[[ -t 1 ]] || exec zsh -l

CHOICE=$(python3 "$(dirname $0)/zed-menu.py")

case "$CHOICE" in
    claude)              claude ;;
    "claude --continue") claude --continue ;;
    "claude --resume")   claude --resume ;;
    "uv+zsh")
        if [[ -f ".venv/bin/activate" ]]; then
            exec zsh -l -c 'source .venv/bin/activate && exec zsh'
        elif command -v uv &>/dev/null && [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]]; then
            exec uv run zsh
        else
            exec zsh -l
        fi
        ;;
    python)
        if command -v uv &>/dev/null && [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]]; then
            exec uv run python
        else
            exec python3
        fi
        ;;
    lazygit) exec lazygit ;;
    yazi)    exec yazi ;;
    *)       exec zsh -l ;;
esac

# Re-show menu after claude exits
exec "$0"