${(w)…}: Word count

w used together with #name counts words in arrays or string

Flag (s) can be used to define the word delimiter.

(W) can be used instead if empty words should be counted, too.

Links

• Zsh manual on parameter expansion flags

Examples

Count words

1 2 3 4

string="string with several words" array=(array "with several" words) echo ${(w)#string} echo ${(w)#array}

Output:

1 2

4 4