/docs/linux/shell/ Recent content in Shell on tplat Hugo en /docs/linux/shell/shell-prompt/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 /docs/linux/shell/shell-prompt/ <h1 id="shell-prompt">Shell Prompt<a class="anchor" href="#shell-prompt"></a></h1> <p>The shell prompt shows that the shell is ready for input and often encodes the current user, host, and directory.</p> <h2 id="overview">Overview<a class="anchor" href="#overview"></a></h2> <ul> <li>Prompt format usually includes user, host, and working directory</li> <li><code>PS1</code> controls most Bash prompt formatting</li> <li>The ending symbol usually signals privilege level</li> </ul> <h2 id="reference">Reference<a class="anchor" href="#reference"></a></h2> <h3 id="common-symbols">Common symbols<a class="anchor" href="#common-symbols"></a></h3> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>Symbol</th> <th>Meaning</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><code>~</code></td> <td>Home directory</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>$</code></td> <td>Regular user</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>#</code></td> <td>Root user</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3 id="ps1"><code>PS1</code><a class="anchor" href="#ps1"></a></h3> <div class="highlight"><pre tabindex="0" style="color:#e2e4e5;background-color:#282a36;-moz-tab-size:4;-o-tab-size:4;tab-size:4;-webkit-text-size-adjust:none;"><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span style="display:flex;"><span><span style="color:#ff5c57">PS1</span><span style="color:#ff6ac1">=</span><span style="color:#5af78e">&#34;\u@\h[\w]\$ &#34;</span></span></span></code></pre></div><table> <thead> <tr> <th>Escape</th> <th>Meaning</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><code>\u</code></td> <td>Username</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\h</code></td> <td>Short hostname</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\H</code></td> <td>Full hostname</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\w</code></td> <td>Current working directory</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\d</code></td> <td>Date</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\D{format}</code></td> <td>Custom date format</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\t</code></td> <td>24-hour time</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\T</code></td> <td>12-hour time</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\@</code></td> <td>AM/PM time</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\j</code></td> <td>Number of jobs</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\s</code></td> <td>Shell name</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\n</code></td> <td>Newline</td> </tr> <tr> <td><code>\r</code></td> <td>Carriage return</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h3 id="customisation-and-logging">Customisation and logging<a class="anchor" href="#customisation-and-logging"></a></h3> <ul> <li>Prompt settings usually live in <code>~/.bashrc</code></li> <li><code>~/.bash_history</code> stores previously executed commands</li> <li><code>script</code> records a full terminal session</li> </ul> <h3 id="minimal-prompts">Minimal prompts<a class="anchor" href="#minimal-prompts"></a></h3> <div class="highlight"><pre tabindex="0" style="color:#e2e4e5;background-color:#282a36;-moz-tab-size:4;-o-tab-size:4;tab-size:4;-webkit-text-size-adjust:none;"><code class="language-bash" data-lang="bash"><span style="display:flex;"><span>$ </span></span><span style="display:flex;"><span><span style="color:#78787e">#</span></span></span></code></pre></div><h2 id="mental-model">Mental Model<a class="anchor" href="#mental-model"></a></h2> <ul> <li>Prompt = context plus readiness indicator</li> <li><code>PS1</code> defines the formatting</li> <li>Symbols such as <code>$</code> and <code>#</code> show privilege level</li> </ul>