Shell trick #4: Keyboard shortcuts for output control

Ever regret you didn’t take that speed reading class when the output some console program scrolls by too fast? Worry not, there’s a fix for that.

It’s possible to suspend and resume the output from any console program. It’s also possible to scroll back and forth in the console buffer, whether you are in a graphical terminal or a text-mode console such as the Linux virtual terminal (textmode VT).

Bash and Zsh

• Ctrl-S - suspend output from current program
• Ctrl-Q - continue output from current program
• Ctrl-PgUp - scroll backwards in the console buffer to read older program output
• Ctrl-PgDn - scroll forwards in the console buffer to read newer program output

A common rookie mistake is to freeze the entire terminal by accidentally hitting Ctrl-S. When this happens, hitting Ctrl-Q will thaw it just fine.

Shell trick #3: Keyboard shortcuts for job control

(These shortcuts work on most recent Linux systems. Your mileage may vary on Solaris.)

• Ctrl-C - terminate the currently running process
• Ctrl-Z - suspend the currently running process

Use fg to start the process again, in the foreground. Use bg to start the process again, in the background.

Use jobs to list all programs you have started in the current shell that run in the background (usually all programs you have started with as program & or that you have run bg on).

More shortcuts in trick #2.

Shell trick #2: Keyboard shortcuts for editing text on the command line

(These shortcuts work on most recent Linux systems. Your mileage may vary on Solaris.)

Bash and Zsh

• Ctrl-. - insert last argument from the previous command
• Ctrl-R - as-you-type reverse search through the shell history
• Ctrl-K - delete all text after the cursor
• Ctrl-H - delete the previous character (old-school backspace)
• Esc-u - turn rest of the current word into uppercase
• Esc-l - turn rest of the current word into lowercase
• Esc-c - capitalize current letter, then jump to end of word

Update: More shortcuts in trick #1.

Shell trick #1: Keyboard shortcuts for moving around on the command line

I’ve come to realize that skills that I believe are basic for any Linux/Unix user seem to be anything but.

In the interest of backing up my future “I told you so” statements, I’ve decided to write a series of tiny blog posts that tells people so.

First up: Builtin keyboard shortcuts for moving around on the command line.

(These shortcuts work on most recent Linux systems. Your mileage may vary on Solaris.)

Bash and Zsh

• Ctrl-A - move cursor to beginning of the line
• Ctrl-E - move the cursor to end of line
• Esc-f - move cursor to first letter in next word
• Esc-b - move cursor to first letter of previous word