Installation

The easiest way to install Zellij is to run the launch script, which downloads the latest release and starts it:

The scripts can be read before running them: launch (Linux / macOS) and launch.ps1 (Windows).

The first time Zellij runs, the setup screen offers to install it: copy it to a permanent folder, add it to the app menu, the Dock or the Start menu, and (on Linux) make it the default terminal. Without these steps, the downloaded copy stays in a temporary folder, so the script can also be used to try Zellij without installing it.

The same can be done by hand: download the executable for your system and run it (see Binary Download for the details of each platform).

Zellij can also be installed through your OS's package manager, with cargo binstall, or compiled and installed with Cargo.

Once installed, Zellij can be run inside any terminal with zellij, or in its own window with zellij terminal.

Rust - Cargo

For instructions on how to install Cargo see here.

Once installed run:

cargo install --locked zellij

If experiencing errors, if installed through rustup, please try running:

rustup update

This also installs a small zellij-terminal launcher next to zellij, which opens the Zellij terminal. The Zellij terminal is part of the default terminal Cargo feature. To build without it, leave the terminal feature out, eg.:

cargo install --locked zellij --no-default-features --features plugins_from_target,vendored_curl,web_server_capability

Cargo - binstall

For smaller machines like laptops, you might want to just install the binary instead of compiling everything.

The easiest way if cargo is present, is to install with the binstall cargo extension:

cargo binstall zellij

Binary Download

Pre-built binaries are available each release for Linux, macOS, and Windows on the release page.

Linux / macOS

Once downloaded, untar the file:

tar -xvf zellij*.tar.gz

check for the execution bit:

chmod +x zellij

and then execute Zellij:

./zellij

Include the directory Zellij is in, in your PATH Variable if you wish to be able to execute it anywhere.

'Or'

move Zellij to a directory already included in your [$PATH] Variable.

The Linux and macOS archives hold only the zellij binary. Each release also has a zellij-desktop-files.tar.gz, holding the desktop entry, icons and software-centre listing, meant for packagers. To add Zellij to the app menu yourself, use Desktop Setup instead.

Windows

Two downloads are available for Windows on the release page:

• The installer (zellij-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc-installer.msi) installs Zellij and can add it to the PATH. It can also add a Start menu shortcut (a checkbox on its first screen, on by default) and an "Open Zellij here" item to Explorer's folder menu. Silent installs can leave the shortcut out with REMOVE=StartMenuShortcut.
• The zip (zellij-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip) holds zellij.exe and zellij-terminal.exe. Extract it, then run zellij.exe from a terminal (e.g., PowerShell or Windows Terminal), or double-click zellij-terminal.exe to open Zellij in its own window. Keep both files in the same folder.

The setup screen can copy Zellij from the zip to a permanent folder and put it on the PATH, see Desktop Setup.

Compiling Zellij From Source

Instructions on how to compile Zellij from source can be found here.

Third party repositories

Zellij is packaged in some third part repositories. Please keep in mind that they are not directly affiliated with zellij maintainers:

More information about third party installation can be found here.