Common issues and solutions for Powerlevel10k and Starship.
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# Shell Prompt Troubleshooting
Common issues and solutions for Powerlevel10k and Starship.
## Quick Diagnostics
### Check Current Setup
```bash
# What shell?
echo $SHELL
echo $ZSH_VERSION
# What prompt?
echo $ZSH_THEME # P10k via OMZ
which starship # Starship installed?
# P10k status
[[ -f ~/.p10k.zsh ]] && echo "P10k config exists"
# Starship status
[[ -f ~/.config/starship.toml ]] && echo "Starship config exists"
```
### Timing Analysis
```bash
# Shell startup time
time zsh -i -c exit
# Starship module timing
starship timings
# P10k profiling (add to .zshrc)
zmodload zsh/zprof
# Then at end:
zprof
```
## Powerlevel10k Issues
### Icons/Glyphs Not Displaying
**Symptom**: Boxes, question marks, or missing icons
**Solution 1: Install Nerd Font**
```bash
# macOS
brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font
# Or download manually from
# https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/releases
```
**Solution 2: Configure Terminal**
1. Open terminal preferences
2. Set font to "MesloLGS NF" or installed Nerd Font
3. Restart terminal
**Solution 3: Use ASCII-only mode**
```bash
# Re-run wizard with "no" to font questions
p10k configure
```
### Instant Prompt Errors
**Symptom**: Warnings about console output during instant prompt
**Solution 1: Move output above instant prompt block**
```zsh
# This BEFORE instant prompt:
echo "Welcome!"
# Instant prompt block
if [[ -r "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh" ]]; then
source "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/p10k-instant-prompt-${(%):-%n}.zsh"
fi
# Everything else AFTER
```
**Solution 2: Suppress warnings**
```zsh
# In ~/.p10k.zsh
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_INSTANT_PROMPT=quiet
```
**Solution 3: Disable instant prompt**
```zsh
# In ~/.p10k.zsh
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_INSTANT_PROMPT=off
```
### gitstatus Failed to Initialize
**Symptom**: `[ERROR]: gitstatus failed to initialize`
**Solution 1: Clear cache**
```bash
rm -rf ~/.cache/gitstatus
exec zsh
```
**Solution 2: Manual binary install**
```bash
# Check architecture
uname -m
# Download appropriate binary from
# https://github.com/romkatv/gitstatus/releases
# Place in ~/.cache/gitstatus/
```
**Solution 3: Build from source**
```bash
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/gitstatus.git
cd gitstatus
./build -w
```
### Slow in Git Repositories
**Symptom**: Prompt freezes when entering repo
**Solution 1: Reduce dirty check threshold**
```zsh
# ~/.p10k.zsh
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_VCS_MAX_INDEX_SIZE_DIRTY=100
```
**Solution 2: Disable dirty check**
```zsh
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_VCS_MAX_INDEX_SIZE_DIRTY=-1
```
**Solution 3: Disable git entirely**
```zsh
typeset -g POWERLEVEL9K_DISABLE_GITSTATUS=true
```
### Theme Not Loading
**Symptom**: Default zsh prompt instead of P10k
**Check 1: Theme path**
```bash
ls ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
```
**Check 2: .zshrc setting**
```bash
grep ZSH_THEME ~/.zshrc
# Should be: ZSH_THEME="powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k"
```
**Check 3: Oh My Zsh loading**
```bash
grep "source.*oh-my-zsh.sh" ~/.zshrc
```
**Solution: Reinstall**
```bash
rm -rf ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git \
${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
exec zsh
```
### Configuration Wizard Issues
**Symptom**: `p10k configure` doesn't work
**Solution 1: Source manually**
```bash
source ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/themes/powerlevel10k/powerlevel10k.zsh-theme
p10k configure
```
**Solution 2: Reset config**
```bash
rm ~/.p10k.zsh
exec zsh
# Wizard should start automatically
```
## Starship Issues
### Prompt Not Showing
**Symptom**: Default shell prompt instead of Starship
**Check 1: Installation**
```bash
which starship
starship --version
```
**Check 2: Shell integration**
```bash
# Zsh
grep starship ~/.zshrc
# Should have: eval "$(starship init zsh)"
# Bash
grep starship ~/.bashrc
```
**Solution: Add integration**
```zsh
# ~/.zshrc
eval "$(starship init zsh)"
```
### Git Status Timeout
**Symptom**: `[WARN] - Executing command "/usr/bin/git" timed out`
**Solution 1: Increase timeout**
```toml
# ~/.config/starship.toml
command_timeout = 2000 # 2 seconds
```
**Solution 2: Disable git_status**
```toml
[git_status]
disabled = true
```
**Solution 3: Optimize git**
```bash
# For very large repos
git config core.untrackedCache true
git config core.fsmonitor true
```
### Module Not Appearing
**Symptom**: Expected module missing from prompt
**Check 1: Detection files**
```bash
# Show what Starship detects
starship explain
```
**Check 2: Module disabled**
```toml
# Check if disabled in config
[python]
disabled = false # Make sure this isn't true
```
**Solution: Force detection**
```toml
[python]
detect_files = []
detect_folders = []
detect_extensions = []
python_binary = ["python3", "python"]
disabled = false
```
### Slow Prompt
**Symptom**: Noticeable delay after each command
**Step 1: Identify slow module**
```bash
starship timings
```
**Step 2: Disable culprit**
```toml
# If git_status is slow
[git_status]
disabled = true
# If python detection is slow
[python]
disabled = true
```
### Config Not Loading
**Symptom**: Changes to starship.toml have no effect
**Check 1: Config location**
```bash
echo $STARSHIP_CONFIG
ls ~/.config/starship.toml
```
**Check 2: TOML syntax**
```bash
# Validate TOML
starship config # Will error on invalid syntax
```
**Solution: Specify config path**
```bash
export STARSHIP_CONFIG=~/.config/starship.toml
```
### Wrong Version Detected
**Symptom**: Shows wrong Python/Node/etc. version
**Solution 1: Specify binary path**
```toml
[python]
python_binary = ["/usr/local/bin/python3", "python3"]
```
**Solution 2: Check PATH order**
```bash
which python
which -a python # All in PATH
```
## General Issues
### Prompt Appears Twice
**Symptom**: Duplicate prompts displayed
**Cause**: Multiple prompt initializations
**Solution**: Check for duplicate init calls
```bash
grep -E "(p10k|starship)" ~/.zshrc
# Remove duplicates
```
### Colors Wrong
**Symptom**: Incorrect or missing colors
**Check 1: Terminal color support**
```bash
echo $TERM
# Should be xterm-256color or similar
```
**Check 2: COLORTERM**
```bash
echo $COLORTERM
# Should be truecolor for full support
```
**Solution: Set terminal type**
```zsh
# ~/.zshrc
export TERM=xterm-256color
export COLORTERM=truecolor
```
### SSH Breaks Prompt
**Symptom**: Prompt works locally but not over SSH
**Check 1: TERM forwarding**
```bash
ssh -t user@host 'echo $TERM'
```
**Solution 1: Set TERM on remote**
```zsh
# Remote ~/.zshrc
export TERM=xterm-256color
```
**Solution 2: Configure SSH**
```
# ~/.ssh/config
Host *
SetEnv TERM=xterm-256color
```
### tmux/screen Issues
**Symptom**: Prompt breaks in tmux
**Solution 1: tmux term setting**
```bash
# ~/.tmux.conf
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
set -ga terminal-overrides ",xterm-256color:Tc"
```
**Solution 2: Force shell**
```bash
# ~/.tmux.conf
set -g default-shell /bin/zsh
```
## Recovery Procedures
### Reset to Default Prompt
**Zsh without frameworks**:
```zsh
# Minimal .zshrc
PROMPT='%n@%m:%~%# '
```
**With Oh My Zsh**:
```zsh
# In .zshrc
ZSH_THEME="robbyrussell"
```
### Complete P10k Reset
```bash
# Remove all P10k files
rm -rf ~/.p10k.zsh
rm -rf ~/.cache/p10k-*
rm -rf ~/.cache/gitstatus
# Reinstall
rm -rf ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k.git \
${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/themes/powerlevel10k
exec zsh
```
### Complete Starship Reset
```bash
# Remove config
rm ~/.config/starship.toml
# Remove from shell
# Edit ~/.zshrc and remove: eval "$(starship init zsh)"
# Uninstall
brew uninstall starship
# or
rm $(which starship)
exec zsh
```
## Getting Help
### Powerlevel10k
- GitHub Issues: https://github.com/romkatv/powerlevel10k/issues
- Note: Maintainer no longer responding (project on life support)
- Search existing issues for solutions
### Starship
- GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/starship/starship/discussions
- GitHub Issues: https://github.com/starship/starship/issues
- Discord: https://discord.gg/starship
### Debug Information to Collect
```bash
# System info
uname -a
echo $SHELL
echo $ZSH_VERSION
echo $TERM
# P10k
cat ~/.p10k.zsh | head -50
ls -la ~/.cache/gitstatus/
# Starship
starship --version
cat ~/.config/starship.toml
starship timings
starship explain
```
Scanned 5/31/2026
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