I found this diagram on SO at one point but I can’t find the post and it is the best explanation I have found for how all of the files work for bash and zsh, each color is an individual path of execution (eg, follow the red line).
Bottom line though, it only really matters if you are overriding something that is already defined, for example I tell my users to use zshrc and I provide defaults and common things in zprofile because zshrc is executed last when they login.
Hey not sure if I’m too late but there are a few places I have run across that I don’t see mentioned:
Also, your resume sounds a lot like mine, I have done a wide variety of things over the years. If you want someone to review your resume I am happy to, send me a DM or something. I’m not a developer but I have reviewed a lot of resumes for people and mentored all kinds of engineers, I am a principal level engineer in a related path though.