Getting started
Install NMSh, start a real shell session and learn your way around.
NMSh runs inside your terminal, around your existing shell. Keep Ghostty, Terminal.app, Zed, VS Code or another compatible terminal host. You do not need to replace your shell configuration or learn a new command language.
Install and launch
On macOS, the recommended installation method is Homebrew:
brew install raiseCatError/tap/nmsh
nmshThe tap can trail the latest public release. The installation page shows the independently verified release and tap versions, plus exact source-build instructions. NMSh requires Node.js 22+ and zsh, Bash 4.4+ or Fish.
These docs describe the published v0.20.0 release. If the tap still provides an older version, the installation page says so and gives the exact source build. On first launch, Setup offers a starting point and reviews it before applying anything.
Do not use
chshto make NMSh your login shell. NMSh is a frontend, not a shell. Launch it from your terminal or configure your terminal to start it.
Try a familiar command
Type pwd and press Enter. Your actual shell runs it. Now try cd into a directory
and run pwd again: the working directory persists because this is one continuing
shell, not a series of unrelated subprocesses.
The composer is where you edit. Output appears in the transcript. NMSh adds command status, timing and presentation around the output; it does not rewrite arbitrary program output with semantic colors.
Find your bearings
| Action | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Explore available NMSh actions | Type /, or open /help |
| Adjust preferences | /settings |
| Move the composer | /layout |
| Choose a theme | /theme |
| Revisit sessions | /resume |
| Inspect your environment | /status or /doctor |
Slash commands belong to NMSh. Ordinary commands, pipelines and scripts still belong to your selected shell. F1 opens the command palette when the host forwards it.
Leave the frontend
/exit hands off to your configured default ordinary shell. /zsh deliberately
hands off to ordinary interactive zsh. Closing the terminal window normally detaches
a service-backed session; that is not the same as stopping its running programs.
Read Sessions and resume before relying on this behavior.
Physical-terminal evidence for v0.20.0 is partial and macOS-only; see compatibility for limitations rather than assuming every host and shell configuration behaves identically.