Zsh functions and aliases are both shortcuts for longer commands, but they differ in complexity and flexibility. An alias is a simple string substitution that replaces one command with another. A function, however, can contain multiple commands and accept arguments, making it more versatile.
For instance, consider the task of finding all files modified within the last day in a directory and its subdirectories. Using an alias would require typing out the entire ‘find’ command each time, which could be cumbersome and prone to errors.
However, using a Zsh function allows us to define this as a reusable command:
This function accepts any additional arguments (represented by “$@”) and appends them to the ‘find’ command. This way, we can easily modify our search criteria without retyping the whole command, thus saving time and reducing potential mistakes.
