Zsh commands: exec vs source
source
and exec
are both built-ins.
source
evaluates or runs the content of a file. For example, if you source ~/.zshrc
you apply the content of the file to the currently running Zsh process. You can source any valid Zsh code.
exec
replaces the current shell process with another process. Your terminal (tty
) session is running a shell. Replace it with another shell without launching another tty. It could be the same shell with different settings or flags.
The tty
(teletypewriter) command prints the name of the terminal you're using.