Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential keyboard shortcuts for efficient command-line editing. These work in bash's default Emacs mode.

Movement

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+A	Move to beginning of line
Ctrl+E	Move to end of line
Ctrl+F	Move forward one character
Ctrl+B	Move backward one character
Alt+F	Move forward one word
Alt+B	Move backward one word
Ctrl+XX	Toggle between start and current position

Editing

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+D	Delete character under cursor (or logout if empty)
Ctrl+H	Delete character before cursor (backspace)
Ctrl+W	Delete word before cursor
Alt+D	Delete word after cursor
Ctrl+K	Delete from cursor to end of line
Ctrl+U	Delete from cursor to beginning of line
Ctrl+Y	Paste (yank) last deleted text
Alt+Y	Rotate through kill ring (after Ctrl+Y)
Ctrl+T	Swap current and previous character
Alt+T	Swap current and previous word
Alt+U	Uppercase word
Alt+L	Lowercase word
Alt+C	Capitalize word

History

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+P	Previous command (same as Up arrow)
Ctrl+N	Next command (same as Down arrow)
Ctrl+R	Reverse search history
Ctrl+S	Forward search history
Ctrl+G	Cancel search
Alt+.	Insert last argument of previous command
Alt+N Alt+.	Insert Nth argument of previous command
!!	Repeat last command
!$	Last argument of last command
!*	All arguments of last command
!cmd	Most recent command starting with 'cmd'
!?str	Most recent command containing 'str'
^old^new	Replace 'old' with 'new' in last command

Control

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+C	Cancel current command / SIGINT
Ctrl+Z	Suspend current process / SIGTSTP
Ctrl+D	End of input (logout if empty line)
Ctrl+L	Clear screen
Ctrl+S	Stop output (freeze terminal)
Ctrl+Q	Resume output (unfreeze terminal)
Ctrl+\	Quit / SIGQUIT

Completion

Shortcut	Action
Tab	Auto-complete
Tab Tab	Show all completions
Alt+?	Show completions (same as Tab Tab)
Alt+*	Insert all completions
Alt+/	Complete filename
Ctrl+X /	List possible filename completions
Alt+~	Complete username
Alt+@	Complete hostname
Alt+$	Complete variable
Alt+!	Complete command

Misc

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+_	Undo
Ctrl+X Ctrl+E	Edit command in $EDITOR
Alt+#	Comment out line and execute
Ctrl+V	Insert next character literally
Ctrl+X Ctrl+V	Display version

History Expansion

Syntax	Meaning
!!	Last command
!n	Command number n
!-n	n commands ago
!string	Most recent command starting with string
!?string	Most recent command containing string
!!:$	Last argument of last command
!!:0	First word (command) of last command
!!:n	nth argument of last command
!!:n-m	Arguments n through m
!!:*	All arguments
!!:s/old/new/	Substitute in last command
!$	Last argument (shorthand)
!^	First argument
!*	All arguments

Examples

Quick Editing

$ echo "hello world"
# Cursor at end, want to change "hello" to "hi"
# Press Ctrl+A (go to start)
# Press Alt+D (delete word)
# Type "hi"
$ hi "hello world"

Command History

# Run previous command
$ !!

# Run previous command with sudo
$ sudo !!

# Replace text in previous command
$ echo hello
$ ^hello^goodbye       # Runs: echo goodbye

# Use last argument
$ mkdir /long/path/to/directory
$ cd !$                # cd /long/path/to/directory

# Use all arguments from last command
$ touch file1 file2 file3
$ rm !*                # rm file1 file2 file3

Reverse Search

# Press Ctrl+R
(reverse-i-search)`git': git push origin main
# Keep pressing Ctrl+R for more matches
# Press Enter to execute, or Right arrow to edit

Edit Long Command

$ very-long-command --with --many --options
# Press Ctrl+X Ctrl+E
# Opens in $EDITOR
# Save and exit to execute

Vi Mode

Switch to vi-style editing:

set -o vi

Vi Mode Shortcuts

Mode	Shortcut	Action
Insert	Esc	Switch to command mode
Command	i	Insert mode
Command	a	Append mode
Command	0	Beginning of line
Command	$	End of line
Command	w	Forward word
Command	b	Backward word
Command	x	Delete character
Command	dw	Delete word
Command	dd	Delete line
Command	k	Previous history
Command	j	Next history
Command	/	Search history
Command	n	Next search result
Command	N	Previous search result

Return to Emacs mode:

set -o emacs

Configure Readline

Create ~/.inputrc for custom bindings:

# ~/.inputrc

# Case-insensitive completion
set completion-ignore-case on

# Show all matches on ambiguous completion
set show-all-if-ambiguous on

# Append slash to directory names
set mark-directories on

# Color for completion
set colored-stats on

# Don't ring bell
set bell-style none

# Custom bindings
"\e[A": history-search-backward    # Up arrow - search history
"\e[B": history-search-forward     # Down arrow - search history

Reload:

bind -f ~/.inputrc

macOS Terminal Notes

Some shortcuts may not work due to terminal app settings:

• Alt key: In Terminal.app, use Esc instead of Alt, or enable "Use Option as Meta key" in Preferences
• iTerm2: Preferences > Profiles > Keys > Left Option Key: Esc+

Try It

1. Line movement:
2. Type a long command
3. Press Ctrl+A (start), Ctrl+E (end)

4. Press Alt+B, Alt+F (word movement)

5. Editing:

6. Type echo hello world
7. Press Ctrl+W (delete word)

8. Press Ctrl+Y (paste back)

9. History:

10. Press Ctrl+R, type git
11. Press Ctrl+R again for more matches

12. Press Enter or Ctrl+G to cancel

13. Last argument:

14. Run ls /some/path
15. Type cd then press Alt+.