Automated Disabler of macOS path_helper for zsh

macOS has path_helper utility that rearranges shell PATH environment causing all kinds of problems. The path_helper is run at zsh startup from /etc/zprofile and you can just comment it out there to disable safely.

The issue is that macOS updates overwrite /etc/zprofile. This script automatically comments out path_helper in /etc/zprofile and being called at zsh startup it watches that file, and if change is detected, prompts to automatically disable the path_helper again.

Install

1. Copy zsh_path_helper_disable.zsh to your home directory:

   cp zsh_path_helper_disable.zsh "$HOME/.zsh_path_helper_disable"

2. Add to your ~/.zshenv:

   echo '[ -f "$HOME/.zsh_path_helper_disable" ] && . "$HOME/.zsh_path_helper_disable"' >> ~/.zshenv

   or insert this manually in the beginnign of ~/.zshenv:

   [ -f "$HOME/.zsh_path_helper_disable" ] && . "$HOME/.zsh_path_helper_disable"

3. Open a new terminal or run source ~/.zshenv to activate.

How it works

• On each shell startup, the script checks if /etc/zprofile has changed (using crc32).
• If /etc/zprofile has not been checked or has changed, it prompts you to comment out path_helper in /etc/zprofile (requires sudo).
• If you confirm, it comments out the relevant line, updates the checksum, and notifies you to reopen your shell.
• Operations done using sudo so you will be asked to authenticate
• backup /etc/zprofile.bak is automatically created

Uninstall

• Remove the line from your ~/.zshenv.

• Delete .zsh_path_helper_disable and .zsh_path_helper_disable_state from your home directory:

  rm ~/.zsh_path_helper_disable
  rm ~/.zsh_path_helper_disable_state

• Optionally restore /etc/zprofile:

  sudo cp /etc/zprofile.bak /etc/zprofile