The zsh/newuser module is loaded at boot if it is
available, the RCS option is set, and the PRIVILEGED option is not
set (all three are true by default). This takes
place immediately after commands in the global zshenv file (typically
/etc/zshenv), if any, have been executed. If the module is not
available it is silently ignored by the shell; the module may safely be
removed from $MODULE_PATH by the administrator if it is not required.
On loading, the module tests if any of the start-up files .zshenv,
.zprofile, .zshrc or .zlogin exist in the directory given by
the environment variable ZDOTDIR, or the user’s home directory if that
is not set. The test is not performed and the module halts processing if
the shell was in an emulation mode (i.e. had been invoked as some other
shell than zsh).
If none of the start-up files were found, the module then looks for the
file newuser first in a sitewide directory, usually the parent
directory of the site-functions directory, and if that is not found the
module searches in a version-specific directory, usually the parent of the
functions directory containing version-specific functions. (These
directories can be configured when zsh is built using the
--enable-site-scriptdir=dir and --enable-scriptdir=dir
flags to configure, respectively; the defaults are
prefix/share/zsh and prefix/share/zsh/$ZSH_VERSION where
the default prefix is /usr/local.)
If the file newuser is found, it is then sourced in the same manner as
a start-up file. The file is expected to contain code to install start-up
files for the user, however any valid shell code will be executed.
The zsh/newuser module is then unconditionally unloaded.
Note that it is possible to achieve exactly the same effect as the
zsh/newuser module by adding code to /etc/zshenv. The module
exists simply to allow the shell to make arrangements for new users without
the need for intervention by package maintainers and system administrators.
The script supplied with the module invokes the shell function
zsh-newuser-install. This may be invoked directly by the user
even if the zsh/newuser module is disabled. Note, however, that
if the module is not installed the function will not be installed either.
The function is documented in
User Configuration Functions.