diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4f70b1f..c54b19e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,3 +26,4 @@ by invoking the `setup-new` script directly via `curl`:
 
     # Run
     curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/andrejusk/dotfiles/HEAD/script/setup-new | bash
+
diff --git a/files/home/.aliases b/files/home/.aliases
index 2e43598..e5e8d9e 100644
--- a/files/home/.aliases
+++ b/files/home/.aliases
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 alias bench='ZSH_BENCH=1 exec zsh'
 alias dots='cd $DOTFILES'
 alias j='z'
+alias ji='zi'
 alias reload='source ~/.zshrc'
 alias reload-path='rm -f "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/dots/path" && exec zsh'
 alias reload-cache='rm -rf "${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/dots" ~/.zcompdump* && exec zsh'
diff --git a/files/home/.zshrc b/files/home/.zshrc
index 1df9c49..b467c81 100644
--- a/files/home/.zshrc
+++ b/files/home/.zshrc
@@ -31,29 +31,89 @@ _dots_cache_ls_colors
 
 [[ -f ~/.aliases ]] && source ~/.aliases
 
-_dots_load_omz() {
-    export DISABLE_AUTO_UPDATE="true"
-    export DISABLE_LS_COLORS="true"
-    export ZSH="$HOME/.oh-my-zsh"
-    export ZSH_THEME=""
-    plugins=(
-        z
-        zsh-autosuggestions
-        zsh-syntax-highlighting
-    )
-    
-    # Daily security check: skip compaudit if already checked today
-    local marker="$_dots_cache_dir/.compaudit_checked"
-    local today=$(date +'%Y-%j')
-    if [[ -f "$marker" ]] && [[ "$(cat "$marker" 2>/dev/null)" == "$today" ]]; then
-        export ZSH_DISABLE_COMPFIX="true"
+_dots_init_completion() {
+    # Add custom completions to fpath
+    local comp_dir="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zsh/completions"
+    [[ -d "$comp_dir" ]] && fpath=("$comp_dir" $fpath)
+
+    autoload -Uz compinit
+    # Rebuild zcompdump at most once per day
+    local dump="$HOME/.zcompdump"
+    if [[ -f "$dump" && $(date +'%j') == $(stat -f '%Sm' -t '%j' "$dump" 2>/dev/null || date -r "$dump" +'%j' 2>/dev/null) ]]; then
+        compinit -C
     else
-        echo "$today" > "$marker"
+        compinit
     fi
-    
-    source "$ZSH/oh-my-zsh.sh"
 }
-_dots_load_omz
+_dots_init_completion
+
+_dots_load_plugins() {
+    local plugin_dir="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zsh/plugins"
+    # autosuggestions first
+    local f="$plugin_dir/zsh-autosuggestions/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh"
+    [[ -f "$f" ]] && source "$f"
+    # syntax-highlighting must be last
+    f="$plugin_dir/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh"
+    [[ -f "$f" ]] && source "$f"
+}
+_dots_load_plugins
+
+_dots_load_history() {
+    HISTFILE="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zsh/history"
+    HISTSIZE=50000
+    SAVEHIST=50000
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+    setopt HIST_IGNORE_DUPS HIST_IGNORE_SPACE SHARE_HISTORY
+}
+_dots_load_history
+
+_dots_load_keybindings() {
+    bindkey -e
+
+    bindkey '^[[H' beginning-of-line
+    bindkey '^[[F' end-of-line
+
+    # Ctrl+J: interactive zoxide jump (zi)
+    _dots_zoxide_widget() {
+        local result
+        result="$(zoxide query -i -- 2>&1)" && cd "$result"
+        zle reset-prompt
+    }
+    zle -N _dots_zoxide_widget
+    bindkey '^J' _dots_zoxide_widget
+}
+_dots_load_keybindings
+
+_dots_load_fzf() {
+    command -v fzf &>/dev/null || return
+    export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='rg --files --hidden --glob "!.git"'
+    export FZF_CTRL_T_COMMAND="$FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND"
+    export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS='--layout=reverse --height=40% --prompt="> " --info=inline-right --no-separator'
+    # Modern fzf (v0.48+) provides --zsh
+    if fzf --zsh &>/dev/null; then
+        source <(fzf --zsh)
+    else
+        # Fallback paths for shell integration
+        local -a fzf_paths=(
+            "${HOMEBREW_PREFIX:-/opt/homebrew}/opt/fzf/shell"
+            "/usr/share/fzf"
+            "${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/fzf/shell"
+        )
+        for dir in "${fzf_paths[@]}"; do
+            [[ -f "$dir/key-bindings.zsh" ]] && source "$dir/key-bindings.zsh" && break
+        done
+        for dir in "${fzf_paths[@]}"; do
+            [[ -f "$dir/completion.zsh" ]] && source "$dir/completion.zsh" && break
+        done
+    fi
+}
+
+
+_dots_load_zoxide() {
+    command -v zoxide &>/dev/null || return
+    export _ZO_FZF_OPTS="$FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS"
+    eval "$(zoxide init zsh)"
+}
 
 # Prompt
 (( ${+PROMPT_MIN_DURATION} ))  || typeset -gi PROMPT_MIN_DURATION=2    # show duration after N seconds
@@ -340,5 +400,7 @@ _dots_load_mise() {
     command -v mise &>/dev/null && eval "$(mise activate zsh)"
 }
 _dots_load_mise
+_dots_load_fzf
+_dots_load_zoxide
 
 [[ -n "$ZSH_BENCH" ]] && zprof || true
diff --git a/script/install.d/22-zsh.sh b/script/install.d/22-zsh.sh
index 569cd89..f34c3ca 100755
--- a/script/install.d/22-zsh.sh
+++ b/script/install.d/22-zsh.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Description:
-#   Configure zsh shell.
+#   Configure zsh shell with direct plugin management.
 #
 
 # install zsh
@@ -26,28 +26,33 @@ fi
 
 zsh --version
 
-# install oh-my-zsh
-export ZSH="$HOME/.oh-my-zsh"
-if [ ! -d "$ZSH" ]; then
-    # https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh#unattended-install
-    bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)" "" --unattended
-fi
-export ZSH_CUSTOM="$ZSH/custom"
-
-# install zsh-syntax-highlighting
-export ZSH_SYNTAX_HIGHLIGHTING="$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-syntax-highlighting"
-if [ ! -d "$ZSH_SYNTAX_HIGHLIGHTING" ]; then
-    git clone -q \
-        https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git \
-        "$ZSH_SYNTAX_HIGHLIGHTING"
-fi
+# plugin directory (XDG compliant)
+PLUGIN_DIR="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zsh/plugins"
+mkdir -p "$PLUGIN_DIR"
 
 # install zsh-autosuggestions
-export ZSH_AUTOSUGGESTIONS="$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions"
-if [ ! -d "$ZSH_AUTOSUGGESTIONS" ]; then
+if [ ! -d "$PLUGIN_DIR/zsh-autosuggestions" ]; then
     git clone -q \
         https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions.git \
-        "$ZSH_AUTOSUGGESTIONS"
+        "$PLUGIN_DIR/zsh-autosuggestions"
+fi
+
+# install zsh-syntax-highlighting
+if [ ! -d "$PLUGIN_DIR/zsh-syntax-highlighting" ]; then
+    git clone -q \
+        https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-syntax-highlighting.git \
+        "$PLUGIN_DIR/zsh-syntax-highlighting"
+fi
+
+# warn about legacy oh-my-zsh directory
+if [ -d "$HOME/.oh-my-zsh" ]; then
+    log_warn "Legacy ~/.oh-my-zsh directory found. Remove with: rm -rf ~/.oh-my-zsh"
+fi
+
+# migrate zoxide database from z if available
+if command -v zoxide &>/dev/null && [ -f "$HOME/.z" ]; then
+    log_info "Importing z database into zoxide..."
+    zoxide import --from z "$HOME/.z" 2>/dev/null || true
 fi
 
 # change default shell to zsh
diff --git a/script/install.d/30-mise.sh b/script/install.d/30-mise.sh
index f81ed80..7859d12 100755
--- a/script/install.d/30-mise.sh
+++ b/script/install.d/30-mise.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ typeset -a MISE_TOOLS=(
     "gh@2.86.0"
     "terraform@1.14.4"
     "firebase@15.5.1"
+    "fzf@latest"
+    "zoxide@latest"
+    "ripgrep@latest"
 )
 
 # Install all tools in parallel
@@ -64,14 +67,11 @@ done
 eval "$(mise activate bash)"
 export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/mise/shims:$PATH"
 
-# Setup Poetry ZSH completions
-ZSH_CUSTOM="${ZSH_CUSTOM:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh/custom}"
-if [[ -d "$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins" ]]; then
-    POETRY_PLUGIN="$ZSH_CUSTOM/plugins/poetry"
-    if [ ! -d "$POETRY_PLUGIN" ]; then
-        mkdir -p "$POETRY_PLUGIN"
-        mise exec -- poetry completions zsh > "$POETRY_PLUGIN/_poetry"
-    fi
+# Setup Poetry ZSH completions (XDG compliant)
+COMPLETIONS_DIR="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/zsh/completions"
+mkdir -p "$COMPLETIONS_DIR"
+if [ ! -f "$COMPLETIONS_DIR/_poetry" ]; then
+    mise exec -- poetry completions zsh > "$COMPLETIONS_DIR/_poetry"
 fi
 
 # Verify installations using mise exec
diff --git a/tests/test_binaries.py b/tests/test_binaries.py
index 2c9645d..11fb01b 100644
--- a/tests/test_binaries.py
+++ b/tests/test_binaries.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ binaries: List[Text] = [
     # langauge: js
     "node",
     "npm",
+    # search & navigation
+    "fzf",
+    "zoxide",
+    "rg",
 ]
 binaries = [binary for binary in binaries if binary is not None]