`hash -d` (aka "named directories") is surely an alternative and if that suits you, by all means.

I see at least two downsides: 1) now you have to remember to say `make -C ~c` { not `make -C $c` which I think most would find more natural } 2) the hash cannot be exported to inheriting subprocesses like a regular scalar $var.

Of course, 1) is kind of weak since you can also use "~var" most places. It's just not as familiar to many as $var.

One notable equivalency is that Zsh prompt escapes for $PS1 and friends like %~ would treat both the same - converting them to a "~c" inside your prompt.

So, in terms of "looking like what you type", that maybe makes ~c better. Maybe there is some setopt to make Zsh expand %~ as $c or $dd? Not sure. There are a lot of setopts.

Anyway, I actually use the exporting feature to non-Zsh subprocesses myself. So, I'm pretty locked-in to vars not just hash entries.