Binding key shortcuts to shell functions in zsh

zsh like most modern shells have a choice between two different keyboard mappings for command-line editing: a vi one and an emacs one. In some shells (like tcsh or readline-based ones like bash), the emacs one is the default and probably the one you expect.

With zsh, you get emacs mode by default unless $EDITOR or $VISUAL contains vi (if you're a vi/nvi/vim/elvis user (though also vimacs and if $EDITOR is /home/victor/bin/emacs...), zsh assumes you prefer the vi mode).

To force a particular mode regardless of the value of $EDITOR, add:

bindkey -e # for emacs
bindkey -v # for vi

or their more portable equivalent:

set -o emacs
set -o vi

to your ~/.zshrc. See

info -f zsh -n Keymaps

for details.

You can define a function anywhere. To chain another function, just call it with the same parameters.

redefine_git_prompt_info () {
  git_prompt_info () { branch_name_only_git_prompt_info "$@"; }
}

If branch_name_only_git_prompt_info is later redefined, a call to redefine_git_prompt_info will call the new definition. If you want to copy the current definition, in zsh, you can do it easily thanks to the functions array.

redefine_git_prompt_info () {
  functions[git_prompt_info]=$functions[branch_name_only_git_prompt_info]
}