z is a command line script to help you “jump around” to directories.

Very much like cd – change directory – command, but much more powerful. Watch z in action.

Installation

Since I installed oh-my-zsh, I can install it easily be editing the ~/.zshrc. Simply add z as a plugin. Here’s mine plugins:

plugins=(git osx python sublime z)

How to use

It takes some time for z to learn your directories. So you will need regular cd before you can z around.

Suppose you have a project directory at ~/Workspace/nodejs/heroes/ironman/.

# cd to the path first
cd ~/Workspace/nodejs/heroes/ironman/

Now, z understand you have such a path, and is able to let you jump around easily from anywhere.

z iron

The above will jump to ironman directoy right away.

In fact you z node, z heroes, or z man will jump to the same ironman directory.