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The Linux Bash (Bourne Again Shell) is a shell and command language that is known to most Linux users, since it’s the default shell in most Linux distributions.
A beginner Linux user may find the Linux terminal usage a bit hard to grasp, especially because it relies heavily on using your arrow keys to move around. Additionally, constantly re-typing the commands, each with a slight variation, can be annoying.
However, Bash comes with many easy-to-use keyboard shortcuts and history functions that ensure efficient use of the terminal. For making effective use of time, we have put together a list of the most commonly used Bash keyboard shortcuts.
Linux Bash Terminal Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Bash Navigation | |
| Ctrl + A | Move to the start of the command line |
| Ctrl + E | Move to the end of the command line |
| Ctrl + F | Move one character forward |
| Ctrl + B | Move one character backward |
| Ctrl + XX | Switch cursor position between start of the command line and the current position |
| Ctrl + ] + x | Moves the cursor forward to next occurrence of x |
| Alt + F / Esc + F | Moves the cursor one word forward |
| Alt + B / Esc + B | Moves the cursor one word backward |
| Alt + Ctrl + ] + x | Moves cursor to the previous occurrence of x |
| Bash Control/Process | |
| Ctrl + L | Similar to clear command, clears the terminal screen |
| Ctrl + S | Stops command output to the screen |
| Ctrl + Z | Suspends current command execution and moves it to the background |
| Ctrl + Q | Resumes suspended command |
| Ctrl + C | Sends SIGI signal and kills currently executing command |
| Ctrl + D | Closes the current terminal |
| Bash History | |
| Ctrl + R | Incremental reverse search of bash history |
| Alt + P | Non-incremental reverse search of bash history |
| Ctrl + J | Ends history search at current command |
| Ctrl + _ | Undo previous command |
| Ctrl + P / Up arrow | Moves to previous command |
| Ctrl + N / Down arrow | Moves to next command |
| Ctrl + S | Gets the next most recent command |
| Ctrl + O | Runs and re-enters the command found via Ctrl + S and Ctrl + R |
| Ctrl + G | Exits history search mode |
| !! | Runs last command |
| !* | Runs previous command except its first word |
!* |
Displays what !* substitutes |
| !x | Runs recent command in the bash history that begins with x |
| !x:p | Displays the x command and adds it as the recent command in history |
| !$ | Same as OPTION+., brings forth last argument of the previous command |
| !^ | Substitutes first argument of last command in the current command |
| !$:p | Displays the word that !$ substitutes |
| ^123^abc | Replaces 123 with abc |
| !n:m | Repeats argument within a range (i.e, m 2-3) |
| !fi | Repeats latest command in history that begins with fi |
| !n | Run nth command from the bash history |
| !n:p | Prints the command !n executes |
| !n:$ | Repeat arguments from the last command (i.e, from argument n to $) |
| Bash Editing | |
| Ctrl + U | Deletes before the cursor until the start of the command |
| Ctrl + K | Deletes after the cursor until the end of the command |
| Ctrl + W | Removes the command/argument before the cursor |
| Ctrl + D | Removes the character under the cursor |
| Ctrl + H | Removes character before the cursor |
| Alt + D | Removes from the character until the end of the word |
| Alt + Backspace | Removes from the character until the start of the word |
| Alt + . / Esc+. | Uses last argument of previous command |
| Alt + < | Moves to the first line of the bash history |
| Alt + > | Moves to the last line of the bash history |
| Esc + T | Switch between last two words before cursor |
| Alt + T | Switches current word with the previous |
| Bash Information | |
| TAB | Autocompletes the command or file/directory name |
| ~TAB TAB | List all Linux users |
| Ctrl + I | Completes the command like TAB |
| Alt + ? | Display files/folders in the current path for help |
| Alt + * | Display files/folders in the current path as parameter |
The Bash shell keyboard shortcuts work around the developer’s DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) philosophy. They help make effective use of your time by improving productivity in a fast-paced work environment.
The above cheat sheet is just the tip of an iceberg. The more you begin to explore Linux terminal commands and Bash shortcuts, the easier and more interesting Linux becomes.
Happy learning!