Xonsh combines Python with a shell for Linux, macOS, Windows, and Android.
Elvish
Elvish combines a shell with an interactive scripting language, according to its project page.
About Elvish
Elvish is a shell that combines an interactive command line with a scripting language. The source describes it as a powerful scripting language and a shell with built-in interactive features. It is distributed as a single statically linked binary for Linux, BSDs, macOS, or Windows.
The interactive features include directory history, command history with optional deduplication, and a built-in file manager. Scripts can use data structures and functional programming, and command failures stop execution by default. The source also shows Elvish being used in CI/CD pipelines through a GitHub Action. A browser version is offered but is labeled beta. The source does not state pricing.
Key features
- Data structures and functional programming, including a parallel each command called peach
- Reports undefined variables at compile time, before the script runs
- Command failures abort execution by default
- Directory history navigation opened with Ctrl-L
- Command history search opened with Ctrl-R, with optional deduplication
- Built-in file manager opened with Ctrl-N
Best for: People who write shell scripts on Linux, macOS, BSD, or Windows and want a readable scripting language with early error checking and built-in interactive navigation tools.
Good for
- Command failures stop script execution by default, which reduces silent failures.
- Undefined variables are reported before the code runs.
- Distributed as a single statically linked binary for several operating systems.
Watch out for
- The browser version is labeled as beta.
Elvish at a glance
- Website
- elv.sh
- Category
- Software & Utilities › Linux Apps
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Elvish alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
fish provides a command-line shell for Linux and macOS, with interactive features and defaults described by its project page.
Linux Live Kit creates custom live Linux distributions from a set of shell scripts.
The Shell Scripting Tutorial teaches shell script programming through an online guide.
Terminal Guide provides learning materials for Linux commands, Git, and shell scripting.
ShellGPT chats with language models in a terminal and can generate shell commands, stories, and Linux-terminal content.
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Elvish FAQ
Can Elvish be used in CI/CD pipelines?
The source shows an example workflow that uses the elves/setup-elvish@v1 GitHub Action to install Elvish and run scripts with it.
Where can users ask questions or discuss Elvish?
The source lists a forum, real-time chat bridged across Telegram, Discord, Matrix, IRC, and Gitter, and an Awesome Elvish list of unofficial modules.
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