Integration

Zellij provides some environment variables, that make Integration with existing tools possible.

echo $ZELLIJ
echo $ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME

The ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME has the session name as its value, and ZELLIJ gets set to 0 inside a zellij session. Arbitrary key value pairs can be set through configuration, or layouts. Note that ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME will not be updated for existing terminal panes when renaming a session (but will for new panes).

Here are some limited examples to help get you started:

Autostart on shell creation

Autostart a new zellij shell, if not already inside one. Shell dependent, fish:

if set -q ZELLIJ
else
  zellij
end

other ways, zellij provides a pre-defined auto start scripts.

bash

echo 'eval "$(zellij setup --generate-auto-start bash)"' >> ~/.bashrc

zsh

echo 'eval "$(zellij setup --generate-auto-start zsh)"' >> ~/.zshrc

fish

⚠️ Depending on the version of the fish shell, the setting may not work. In that case, check out this issue.

Add

if status is-interactive
    ...
    eval (zellij setup --generate-auto-start fish | string collect)
end

to $HOME/.config/fish/config.fish file.

The following environment variables can also be used in the provided script.

Variable	Description	default
`ZELLIJ_AUTO_ATTACH`	If the zellij session already exists, attach to the default session. (not starting as a new session)	false
`ZELLIJ_AUTO_EXIT`	When zellij exits, the shell exits as well.	false

List current sessions

List current sessions, attach to a running session, or create a new one. Depends on sk & bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash
ZJ_SESSIONS=$(zellij list-sessions)
NO_SESSIONS=$(echo "${ZJ_SESSIONS}" | wc -l)

if [ "${NO_SESSIONS}" -ge 2 ]; then
    zellij attach \
    "$(echo "${ZJ_SESSIONS}" | sk)"
else
   zellij attach -c
fi

List layout files and create a layout

List layout files saved in the default layout directory, opens the selected layout file. Depends on: tr, fd, sed, sk, grep & bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
ZJ_LAYOUT_DIR=$(zellij setup --check \
    | grep "LAYOUT DIR" - \
    | grep -o '".*"' - | tr -d '"')

if [[ -d "${ZJ_LAYOUT_DIR}" ]];then
        ZJ_LAYOUT="$(fd --type file . "${ZJ_LAYOUT_DIR}" \
        | sed 's|.*/||' \
        | sk \
        || exit)"
    zellij --layout "${ZJ_LAYOUT}"
fi

Zellij User Guide