${(z)…}: Splitting with shell parsing

z splits the expansion into words using shell parsing, i.e. as if the expansion was entered as a command.

The splitting is performed after other flags are applied. Use nesting to work with the resulting words of (z).

# comment words are treated as ordinary strings and not as comments.
Option (Z:opts:) allows to configure this.

Links

• Zsh manual on parameter expansion flags

Examples

Split string using shell parsing

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string="a value with 'single-quoted text' and \"double-quoted\" text\ content" # split using shell parsing, then join with newline echo ${(j:\n:)${(z)string}}

Output:

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a value with 'single-quoted text' and "double-quoted" text\ content