Bash tricks

SHELL POLISHING

Article from Issue 70/2006
Author(s):

A few basic tricks can liven up the command line and add a dash of color to your console.

The shell is the command line interpreter that interfaces between the user and the system. Among other things it interprets commands, wildcards and variables, links commands, and passes program output in to other tools or to files. Besides the Bourne Shell (Sh), Korn Shell (Ksh), C Shell (Csh), and Z Shell (Zsh), the Bourne Again Shell, or Bash for short, plays a prominent role on Unix-style systems – it has long established itself as the standard shell on Linux. Working with Bash is a lot more fun if you modify the prompt to suit your personal preferences, if you are familiar with the many keyboard shortcuts, and if you add more functionality by defining your own aliases and environmental variables. Attention!

Commands are typically entered at the shell prompt. A typical prompt looks like this:

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
Print Issues
Digital Issues
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Print Subs
Digisubs
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Command Line: Environmental Variables

    Environmental variables give users the ability to set up the command line to suit their own needs.

    more »
  • Bash vs. Vista PowerShell

    Microsoft’s new PowerShell relies on .NET framework libraries and thus has access to a treasure trove of functions and objects. How does PowerShell measure up to traditional shells like Bash?

    more »
  • Bash Alternatives

    Don't let your familiarity with the Bash shell stop you from exploring other options. We take a look at a pair of alternatives that are easy to install and easy to use: Zsh and fish.

    more »
  • Bash Builtins

    Even beginners can benefit from a greater understanding of the Bash shell’s many builtin commands.

    more »
  • Reverse Shells

    Firewalls block shell access from outside the network. But what if the shell is launched from the inside?

    more »
comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News

Tag Cloud

Administration Community Events Hardware Linux Linux Pro Magazine Mobile Programming Security Software Ubuntu Web Development Windows free software open source