Linux: Bash Keys

This pages show the bash keybinding, man page keys, and terminal keys.

Bash Keys

Moving cursor:

• Ctrl+b = backward a character
• Ctrl+f = forward a character

• Alt+b = backward word. Or Ctrl+←
• Alt+f = forward word. Or Ctrl+→

• Ctrl+a = move to beginning of line
• Ctrl+e = move to end of line

Deleting:

• Ctrl+h = delete backward 1 char
• Ctrl+d = delete forward 1 char

• Alt+Backspace ⌫ = delete word backward
• Alt+d = delete word forward

• Ctrl+u = delete to beginning of line
• Ctrl+k = delete to end of line

Paste:

• Ctrl+y = paste. (deleted word or line can be pasted)

Search Command History:

• Ctrl+r = interactive search backward command history. (can press it multiple times)
• Ctrl+s = search forward command history
• Ctrl+c = exit search
• Escape = exit search with current choice
• ↑ = previous command
• ↓ = next command (after you pressed ↑)

Bash keys are a subset of emacs keys.

〔see Emacs Keys Basics〕

Special, Job Control:

• Ctrl+l = clear screen (must be first input to prompt)
• Ctrl+d = exit shell (must be first input to prompt)
• Ctrl+c = terminate current foreground process (SIGINT)
• Ctrl+z = suspend current foreground process (SIGTSTP)

〔see Linux: Job Control〕

You can see most of special process control keys by stty -a. 〔see Linux: Terminal Control Sequence Keys〕