ZSH doesn't perform word splitting by default, so `git grep $FLAGS pattern` in ZSH is equivalent to `git grep "$FLAGS" pattern` in bash. You can explicitly request word-slitting via `$=FLAGS`. There is also an option to do this automatically but it's not a good idea to turn it on. Most of the time you really don't want word splitting when you type $FOO. Roman. On Sun, May 19, 2019 at 8:10 PM Sam Houston wrote: > In a `bash` shell, in some empty directory, I can run the commands: > > ```bash > git init > echo "pattern" > file.txt > FLAGS="--untracked --color" > git grep $FLAGS pattern > ``` > > And see the output: > > ``` > file.txt:pattern > ``` > > But in a `zsh` shell, when I run the same commands, I get the following > error: > > ``` > error: unknown option `untracked --color' > ``` > > The error only seems to occur when I pass in with more than one `--` in the > `FLAGS` variable. > > My `zsh --version` is `zsh 5.3 (x86_64-apple-darwin18.0)`. > > Let me know if I am doing something wrong, or if you need more information. > > Thanks, > > Sam >