skills.rest
brianlan
brianlanCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
GitHub

new-machine-basic-setup

Automate Linux development environment setup with zsh, oh-my-zsh, and plugins.

1|1|Updated Feb 4, 2026
Search Tags:#automation#linux#dev-environment#oh-my-zsh#zsh-plugins#vimrc
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/brianlan/improved-ai-agent --skill new-machine-basic-setup
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: new-machine-basic-setup
Source: https://github.com/brianlan/improved-ai-agent/tree/main/skills/new-machine-basic-setup
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/brianlan/improved-ai-agent --skill new-machine-basic-setup

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Setting up a brand-new Linux development machine quickly and consistently, including shell, plugins, tooling, and environment syncs, to reduce manual setup time and configuration drift.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Automates installation of oh-my-zsh and sets zsh as the default shell (optional) to streamline shell customization.
  • Installs preferred plugins (zsh-autosuggestions, zsh-syntax-highlighting) and tools (autojump, vimrc) to accelerate development workflows.
  • Synchronizes environment configurations from bashrc to zshrc and ensures essential tooling like nvm/conda are wired for a smooth, repeatable setup across machines.

Quick Start

Run this skill on a fresh Linux machine to install oh-my-zsh, zsh plugins, autojump, vim config, and environment variable synchronization.

Frequently Asked Questions about new-machine-basic-setup

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I set up a new Linux development environment with zsh and oh-my-zsh?▼

Automating Linux dev environment setup installs oh-my-zsh, zsh plugins, autojump, and vimrc, then synchronizes bashrc configurations to zshrc to ensure consistent tooling across multiple machines without manual configuration drift.

Can I sync my existing bashrc environment variables to zshrc automatically?▼

Yes, the setup workflow synchronizes environment configurations from bashrc to zshrc automatically. This ensures existing environment variables and tooling paths transfer seamlessly to the newly configured zsh shell.

What do I need to install oh-my-zsh and configure zsh plugins on a fresh Linux machine?▼

You need a Linux host with bash and zsh available, sudo access for installing packages, and a writable home directory. These prerequisites allow the idempotent workflow to install oh-my-zsh, plugins, and autojump.

Does this Linux dev environment setup install vim configuration and autojump?▼

Yes, the dev environment setup installs autojump for directory navigation and applies a vimrc configuration. It deploys these tools alongside zsh plugins to accelerate development workflows on fresh machines.

What is the best way to automate installing zsh-autosuggestions and zsh-syntax-highlighting?▼

Using an idempotent setup workflow is the best way to automate installing zsh-autosuggestions and zsh-syntax-highlighting. This ensures plugins are installed and configured consistently without manual intervention or duplicate entries.

Related Skills

Explore More Software Engineering Skills→
coff33ninjacoff33ninja

os-awareness

Detect the host operating system before command execution or file operations.

Community
Intermediate
shahmirerrorshahmirerror

package-management

Install and manage language toolchains and runtimes with Nix-based tooling.

Community
Intermediate
hheydaroffhheydaroff

ralph

Launches and monitors autonomous task loops in cmux or tmux terminal sessions.

Community
Intermediate
ZeiZelZeiZel
2

dotfiles

Provision and manage dotfiles across macOS and Linux with Ansible playbooks.

Community
Advanced