A Python-based, Linux-first custom shell environment with plugin support, aliases, banners, and a modern command experience. ZDTT wraps your system shell, adds its own built-in commands, and enhances your workflow instead of replacing your OS shell.

Up/Down arrows navigate session history using Python’s readline module.

Auto-complete commands and filesystem paths.

ZDTT provides a custom prompt with color styling. On Linux: supports full status bar. On macOS: status bar disabled automatically due to OS cursor fight.

Python-based plugin loader with AST security checks. Plugins can register new ZDTT commands without modifying core files.

Aliases are loaded from ~/.zdtt/aliases and behave identically to shell shortcuts.

If ~/.zdtt/banner.txt exists, it is displayed on launch.

ZDTT detects which major family you’re on:

• Debian-based
• Arch-based
• macOS

Used to determine:

• the correct sysfetch tool
• correct default package manager names
• correct onboarding messages

If a command is not a built-in ZDTT command or plugin command, it is passed directly to your real shell (bash, zsh, etc.).

A background thread draws a live status bar showing time and system state. Disabled automatically on macOS.

• help
• clear
• about
• history
• exit
• quit
• sysfetch
• time
• statusbar color <name>
• plus plugin commands

curl -O https://zdtt-sources.zane.org/install.sh && chmod +x install.sh && ./install.sh

The installer:

• Detects Debian, Arch, or macOS
• Installs Python 3 if needed
• Installs ZDTT to ~/.local/bin
• Sets up the zdtt command

git clone https://github.com/ZaneThePython/ZDTT
cd ZDTT
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

zdtt start

zdtt update
zdtt version
zdtt github
zdtt uninstall

ZDTT supports simple Python plugins stored in:

~/.zdtt/plugins/

Each plugin must define:

def register_commands():
 return {"yourcmd": your_function}

Plugins are sandboxed using AST:

• No top-level execution allowed
• Only imports, functions, classes permitted
• Unsafe plugins are quarantined automatically

Reload plugins inside ZDTT:

plugins reload

Install via URL:

zps install <url>

See:

• example_plugin.py
• PLUGINS.md

Store aliases in:

~/.zdtt/aliases

Or create them live:

alias ll=ls -la
unalias ll

Add a custom banner in:

~/.zdtt/banner.txt

statusbar color blue

Colors supported: blue red green cyan magenta yellow white black

• Debian-based distros
• Arch-based distros
• macOS (Status bar disabled automatically)

Other distros can run ZDTT but:

• auto-install may not work
• sysfetch may not detect tools
• package-manager messages may be incorrect

ZDTT is written in Python and uses:

• readline for history & completion
• threading for status bar updates
• ast for plugin security
• subprocess for system command execution
• os and shutil for path and environment detection

ZDTT/
├── terminal.py
├── install.sh
├── version.txt
├── example_plugin.py
├── example_aliases
├── example_banner.txt
├── PLUGINS.md
└── README.md

PRs welcome! ZDTT is early in development and evolving quickly.

• GitHub: https://github.com/ZaneThePython/ZDTT
• Main site: https://zdtt.zane.org

ZDTT is not a full standalone shell yet — it wraps your system shell and enhances it. A full independent shell may come in the future. Plugins may import Python modules, but may not execute code at import time.