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Zi vs Zim Framework: catalog facts
Zi	Zim Framework

Best for: zsh users with many plugins who care about startup time	Best for: Zsh users who want plugins and themes with fast startup
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source.
macOS, Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Manages zsh plugins, themes and completions Focused on fast shell startup	Fast shell startup Plugin manager, modules and themes in one Automatic, Homebrew, Arch and manual installation
Only works with zsh Configuration takes some learning	Zsh only Smaller ecosystem than Oh My Zsh
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Zi github.com/z-shell/zi Catalog checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Zim Framework github.com/zimfw/zimfw Catalog checked October 1, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.