prmt 🚀

Ultra-fast, customizable shell prompt that won't slow you down

Rendered with "{path:#89dceb}{rust:#f38ba8:f: 🦀}{git:#f9e2af:f: }\n{ok:#a6e3a1}{fail:#f38ba8} "

Features

• ⚡ Blazing Fast: Sub-millisecond rendering for typical prompts (~2ms end-to-end)
• 🎨 Highly Customizable: Full control over colors, formats, and what information to show
• 🚀 Context Aware: Automatically detects git repos, project files, shows only what's relevant
• 📦 Zero Dependencies: Single binary, no runtime dependencies required
• 🦀 Memory Efficient: Zero-copy parsing with SIMD optimizations
• ✨ Smart Rendering: Only shows information when relevant to your current directory

Why prmt?

Faster than alternatives – Typical prompts render in ~2ms. Starship averages 10-50ms, oh-my-posh 20-100ms.

Zero configuration needed – Works out of the box with sensible defaults. Customize only what you want.

Predictable performance – No async operations, no network calls, no surprises. Your prompt is always instant.

Single binary – Just install and go. No configuration files required unless you want them.

Context-aware – Automatically detects git repositories, Rust/Node/Python projects, and shows only relevant info.

Quick Start

1. Install

cargo install prmt

2. Add to your shell (pick one)

Bash – Add to ~/.bashrc:

# Simple with named colors
PS1='$(prmt --code $? "{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} ")'

# Explicit shell wrapping (recommended for prompt usage)
PS1='$(prmt --shell bash --code $? "{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} ")'

# Or with hex colors for precise theming
PS1='$(prmt --code $? "{path:#89dceb} {git:#f9e2af} {ok:#a6e3a1}{fail:#f38ba8} ")'

Zsh – Add to ~/.zshrc (auto-detected by default; --shell zsh forces wrapping):

setopt PROMPT_SUBST

# Simple with named colors
PROMPT='$(prmt --shell zsh --code $? "{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} ")'

# Or with hex colors for precise theming
PROMPT='$(prmt --shell zsh --code $? "{path:#89dceb} {git:#f9e2af} {ok:#a6e3a1}{fail:#f38ba8} ")'

Fish – Add to ~/.config/fish/config.fish:

function fish_prompt
    prmt --code $status '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
end

3. Reload your shell

exec $SHELL  # or open a new terminal

Done! 🎉

function _prmt_prompt() {
    local last=$?
    PS1="$(prmt --code $last '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red}')"
}
PROMPT_COMMAND=_prmt_prompt

PS1='$(prmt --shell bash --code $? "{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} ")'

function _prmt_lastcommand() {
    history | tail -1 | cut -c 8-
}

function _prmt_deleteprompt() {
    local prompt=${PS1@P}
    local lines=${prompt//[^$'\n']}
    local count=${#lines}
    tput cuu $((count + 1))
    tput ed
}

function _prmt_indicator() {
    prmt --shell bash --code ${1:-0} "{ok:green}> {fail:red}> "
}

PS0='\[$(_prmt_deleteprompt)\]$(_prmt_indicator ${LAST_EXIT_CODE}) $(_prmt_lastcommand)\n\[${PS1:0:$((EXPS0=1,0))}\]'
PROMPT_COMMAND='LAST_EXIT_CODE=$?; [ "$EXPS0" = 0 ] && _prmt_deleteprompt && echo -e "$(_prmt_indicator ${LAST_EXIT_CODE})" || EXPS0=0'

function _prmt_precmd() {
    local code=$?
    PROMPT="$(prmt --code $code '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red}')"
}
typeset -ga precmd_functions
precmd_functions+=(_prmt_precmd)

# Add to $PROFILE
function prompt {
    prmt --code $LASTEXITCODE '{path:cyan:s} {git:purple:s:on :} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
}

# Bash/Zsh
export PRMT_FORMAT="{path:cyan:r} {rust:red:m:v 🦀} {git:purple}"
PS1='$(prmt --code $?)\$ '

# Fish
set -x PRMT_FORMAT "{path:cyan:r} {python:yellow:m: 🐍} {git:purple}"

# PowerShell
$env:PRMT_FORMAT = "{path:cyan:r} {git:purple}"

Popular Prompts

Minimal

prmt '{path:cyan:s} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
# Output: projects ❯

Developer

prmt '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {rust:red:s: 🦀} {node:green:s: ⬢} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
# Output: ~/projects/prmt on main 🦀1.90 ⬢20.5 ❯

Identity (via env module)

prmt '{env::USER}@{env::HOSTNAME} {path:cyan:s} {git:purple} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
# Output: zenpie@workbox projects on main ❯

Compact with time

prmt '{time:dim:12h} {path:cyan:s} {git:purple:s} {ok:green}{fail:red} '
# Output: 02:30PM projects main ❯

Full featured with newline

prmt '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {python:yellow:m: 🐍} {time:dim}\n{ok:green}{fail:red} '
# Output: ~/ml-project on develop 🐍3.11 14:30
#         ❯

Status-focused

prmt '{path:cyan:s} {git:purple:s:on :} {ok:green:✓}{fail:red:✗} '
# Output (success): projects on main ✓
# Output (failure): projects on main ✗

With exit codes

prmt '{path:cyan} {git:purple} {ok:green:❯}{fail:red::code} '
# Output (success): ~/projects main ❯
# Output (failure): ~/projects main 127

Installation

# Install from crates.io
cargo install prmt

# Build from source (Rust 2024 edition required)
cargo build --release
cp target/release/prmt ~/.local/bin/

# Or install directly from source
cargo install --path .

# Verify installation
prmt --version

Usage Examples

# Simple format with defaults
prmt '{path} {rust} {git}'
# Output: ~/projects 1.89.0 master

# Format with types and styles
prmt '{path::a}'                  # /home/user/projects (absolute path)
prmt '{path::r}'                  # ~/projects (relative with ~)
prmt '{path::s}'                  # projects (short - last dir only)
prmt '{rust:red:s}'               # 1.89 in red (short version)
prmt '{rust:red:m:v:}'            # v1 in red (major version with prefix)
prmt '{path:cyan:s:[:]}'          # [projects] in cyan
prmt '{git:purple::on :}'         # on master in purple

# Simplified formats with omitted parts
prmt '{rust::::!}'                # 1.89.0! (default style/type, suffix only)
prmt '{rust:::v:}'                # v1.89.0 (default style/type, prefix only)
prmt '{path::::]}'                # ~/projects] (suffix only)
prmt '{git:::on :}'               # on master (prefix only)

# Add your own icons with prefix
prmt '{rust::: 🦀}'               # 🦀1.89.0 (default color)
prmt '{node:green:: ⬢}'           # ⬢20.5.0 in green
prmt '{python:yellow:: 🐍}'       # 🐍3.11.0 in yellow

# Or add spacing with suffix for better readability
prmt '{rust::: 🦀 }'              # 🦀 1.89.0 (space after icon)
prmt '{node:green:: ⬢ }'          # ⬢ 20.5.0 (space after icon)

# Using short format aliases
prmt '{path:cyan:s} {rust:red:m:v:}' # projects v1 (both in color)
prmt '{git::s:on :}'              # on master (short format with prefix)

# No style with type
prmt '{path::s}'                  # projects (no color, short)
prmt '{path::a}'                  # /home/user/projects (no color, absolute)
prmt '{rust::m:v}'                # v1 (no color, major with prefix)

# With exit code indicators (requires --code flag)
prmt --code $? '{path:cyan} {ok:green}{fail:red}'
# Output (success): ~/projects ❯ (green)
# Output (failure): ~/projects ❯ (red)

# Fast mode (no version detection)
prmt --no-version '{path:cyan} {rust:red} {node:green}'
# Output: ~/projects (only shows active modules, no versions)

# Custom symbols for ok/fail using type as symbol
prmt --code $? '{path} {ok::✓} {fail::✗}'
# Output (success): ~/projects ✓
# Output (failure): ~/projects ✗

# Show exit code on failure
prmt --code $? '{path} {ok::❯} {fail::code}'
# Output (success): ~/projects ❯
# Output (failure with code 127): ~/projects 127

# Time formats
prmt '{time}'                     # 14:30 (default 24h)
prmt '{time::24hs}'               # 14:30:45
prmt '{time::12h}'                # 02:30PM
prmt '{time::12hs}'               # 02:30:45PM
prmt '{path:cyan} {time:dim:12h}' # ~/projects 02:30PM (with styling)

Format Specification

Format Syntax

{module}                      - Default everything
{module:style}                - Custom style
{module:style:type}           - Custom style and type
{module:style:type:prefix}    - Add prefix to value
{module:style:type:prefix:postfix} - Add prefix and postfix

# Omitting parts (empty means default)
{module::::suffix}            - Default style/type, suffix only
{module:::prefix:}            - Default style/type, prefix only
{module:::prefix:suffix}      - Default style/type, both prefix/suffix
{module::type}                - No style, specific type
{module::type::suffix}        - No style, specific type, suffix only

Available Modules

Type Values

Version modules (rust, node, python, etc.):

• full or f - Full version (1.89.0)
• short or s - Major.minor (1.89)
• major or m - Major only (1)

Path module:

• relative or r - Path with ~ for home directory (default)
• absolute, a, or f - Full absolute path without ~ substitution
• short or s - Last directory only

Git module:

• full or f - Branch with status (default)
• short or s - Branch name only
• Add +owned (or +o) to show only repos owned by the current user (e.g., {git::full+owned})

Ok/Fail modules:

• full - Default symbol (❯)
• code - Shows the actual exit code number
• Any other string - Uses that string as the symbol (e.g., {ok::✓} shows ✓)

Time module:

• 24h - 24-hour format HH:MM (default)
• 24hs or 24HS - 24-hour format with seconds HH:MM:SS
• 12h or 12H - 12-hour format hh:MMAM/PM
• 12hs or 12HS - 12-hour format with seconds hh:MM:SSAM/PM

Env module:

• The type field is required and must be the environment variable name (e.g., {env::USER} or {env:blue:PATH}).
• The module emits the variable value only when it exists and is non-empty; otherwise it returns nothing so the placeholder is effectively inactive.
• Example for identity: {env::USER}@{env::HOSTNAME}

Type Validation

The format parser validates types at parse time to catch errors early:

# Valid types for each module
prmt '{path::short}'     # ✓ Valid
prmt '{rust::major}'     # ✓ Valid
prmt '{ok::✓}'          # ✓ Valid (custom symbol)
prmt '{fail::code}'     # ✓ Valid (shows exit code)

# Invalid types produce clear errors
prmt '{path::major}'
# Error: Invalid type 'major' for module 'path'. Valid types: relative, r, absolute, a, short, s

prmt '{git::major}'
# Error: Invalid type 'major' for module 'git'. Valid types: full, short

Default Module Styles

Styles

Colors: black, red, green, yellow, blue, purple, cyan, white, #hexcode

Modifiers: bold, dim, italic, underline, reverse, strikethrough

Combine with dots: cyan.bold, red.dim.italic

Background colors: use fg+bg or +bg (background only), then modifiers. Examples: #ffffff+#333333, +blue, cyan+#222.dim

Escaping

• \{ → { (literal brace)
• \} → } (literal brace)
• \n → newline
• \t → tab
• \: → : (literal colon in fields)
• \\ → \ (literal backslash)

Performance

Actual Response Times

Benchmark Snapshot

Measurements captured on an Intel Core i9-13900K host with project files on a SATA SSD (Rust 1.90.0 release build). Each value is the median of 100 cargo bench runs.

Why is it fast?

• Zero-copy parsing with SIMD optimizations
• Efficient memory allocation strategies
• Context-aware detection (only checks what's needed)
• No async operations or network calls
• Written in Rust for maximum performance

Command-Line Options

prmt [OPTIONS] [FORMAT]

OPTIONS:
    -n, --no-version    Skip version detection for speed
    -d, --debug         Show debug information and timing
    -b, --bench         Run benchmark (100 iterations)
        --code <CODE>   Exit code of the last command (for ok/fail modules)
        --no-color      Disable colored output
    -h, --help         Print help
    -V, --version      Print version

ARGS:
    <FORMAT>           Format string (default from PRMT_FORMAT env var)

Building from Source

# Requirements: Rust 2024 edition
git clone https://github.com/3axap4eHko/prmt.git
cd prmt
cargo build --release

# Run tests
cargo test

# Benchmark
./target/release/prmt --bench '{path} {rust} {git}'

License

License The MIT License Copyright (c) 2025 Ivan Zakharchanka