Plugin Installation:

Install python-pip and git: Open terminal by hitting Ctrl+Alt+T and run:

sudo apt-get install python-pip git

• Per user:
  
  In terminal run:

  
  
  

  pip install --user git+git://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline
  
  

  
  
  

  Add ~/.local/bin to $PATH by modifying ~/.profile with your favourite editor:

  
  
  

  gksudo gedit ~/.profile
  
  

  
  
  

  and adding following lines at the end of it:

  
  
  

  if [ -d "$HOME/.local/bin" ]; then
  
      PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
  
  fi
  
  




• System wide:
  
  In terminal run:

  
  
  

  su -c 'pip install git+git://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline'
  
  

Font Installation:

Powerline provides two ways of installing the required fonts. If you're using one of following terminal: Gnome Terminal, Konsole, lxterminal, st, Xfce Terminal, Terminator, Guake, Yakuake then you should use "Fontconfig" method.

• Fontconfig: (recommended)

  
  
  
  
  

  • Per User:
    
    Run the following commands in terminal:

    
    
    

    wget https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline/raw/develop/font/PowerlineSymbols.otf https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline/raw/develop/font/10-powerline-symbols.conf
    
    mkdir -p ~/.fonts/ && mv PowerlineSymbols.otf ~/.fonts/
    
    fc-cache -vf ~/.fonts
    
    mkdir -p ~/.config/fontconfig/conf.d/ && mv 10-powerline-symbols.conf ~/.config/fontconfig/conf.d/
    
    

  
  

  • System wide:
    
    Run the following commands in terminal:

    
    
    

    wget https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline/raw/develop/font/PowerlineSymbols.otf https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline/raw/develop/font/10-powerline-symbols.conf
    
    sudo mv PowerlineSymbols.otf /usr/share/fonts/
    
    sudo fc-cache -vf
    
    sudo mv 10-powerline-symbols.conf /etc/fonts/conf.d/
    
    

  
  



• Patched font:
  
  Use this method only if "Fontconfig" method doesn't work for you or you're using a terminal other than mentioned above.

  
  
  
  
  
  1. Download the font of your choice from powerline-fonts.
  
  
  2. Move your patched font to ~/.fonts/ for per user installation or /usr/share/fonts for system wide installation.
  
  
  3. Run fc-cache -vf ~/.fonts to update your font cache, sudo fc-cache -vf to do it system wide.
  
  

To use patched font in Gvim see this answer and to change the font of your respective terminal check this question: How to change the font of various terminal emulators?. You may have to reboot your system after font installation for changes to take effect.

Usage: (for per user installation)

• Vim statusline:
  
  Add following to your ~/.vimrc or /etc/vim/vimrc:

  
  
  

  set rtp+=$HOME/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/vim/
  
  
  
  " Always show statusline
  
  set laststatus=2
  
  
  
  " Use 256 colours (Use this setting only if your terminal supports 256 colours)
  
  set t_Co=256
  
  




• Bash prompt:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.bashrc or /etc/bash.bashrc:

  
  
  

  if [ -f ~/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh ]; then
  
      source ~/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
  
  fi
  
  




• Zsh prompt:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.zshrc or /etc/zsh/zshrc:

  
  
  

  if [[ -r ~/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh ]]; then
  
      source ~/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
  
  fi
  
  




• Tmux statusline:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.tmux.conf:

  
  
  

  source ~/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
  
  set-option -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
  
  

  
  
  

  If your terminal supports 256 colours, set TERM environment variable to xterm-256color by modifying ~/.bashrc or /etc/bash.bashrc and adding following line:

  
  
  

  export TERM=xterm-256color
  
  

  
  
  

  To check if your terminal supports 256 colours check the documentation of your terminal or google it. Most popular terminals support 256 colours.

Usage: (for system wide installation)

• Vim statusline:
  
  Add following to your ~/.vimrc or /etc/vim/vimrc:

  
  
  

  set rtp+=/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/vim/
  
  
  
  " Always show statusline
  
  set laststatus=2
  
  
  
  " Use 256 colours (Use this setting only if your terminal supports 256 colours)
  
  set t_Co=256
  
  




• Bash prompt:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.bashrc or /etc/bash.bashrc:

  
  
  

  if [ -f /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh ]; then
  
      source /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
  
  fi
  
  




• Zsh prompt:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.zshrc or /etc/zsh/zshrc:

  
  
  

  if [[ -r /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh ]]; then
  
      source /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
  
  fi
  
  




• Tmux statusline:
  
  Add the following line to your ~/.tmux.conf:

  
  
  

  source /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
  
  set-option -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
  
  

  
  
  

  If your terminal supports 256 colours, Set TERM environment variable to xterm-256color by modifying ~/.bashrc or /etc/bash.bashrc and adding following line:

  
  
  

  export TERM=xterm-256color
  
  

  
  
  

  To check if your terminal supports 256 colours check the documentation of your terminal or google it. Most popular terminals support 256 colours.

Configuration:

For detailed information on configuring Powerline: Configuration.

Uninstall:

To uninstall Powerline run one of following commands in terminal:

• To uninstall per user installation:

  
  
  

  pip uninstall powerline
  
  




• To uninstall system wide installation:

  
  
  

  su -c 'pip uninstall powerline'
  
  

_{Source: Powerline beta documentation}

Alternatives:

If you're installing Powerline just for Vim you should try vim-airline which is more customizable and lightweight.