Expert Shell Scripting

CHAPTER 15Command-Line Editing andHistory

When working from the command line, you will at some point enter a command multiple times, possibly with minor modifications. In those cases the ability to recall and modify previous commands quickly and efficiently is beneficial. In the old DOS days, a utility called doskey would keep your history in a buffer. You could go back or forth through the command history one command at a time by using the up and down arrow keys. Individual commands could be edited by using the cursor and Delete or Backspace keys to make replacements. This basic form of recall and modification of recently typed commands is also available in bash.

Modern shell versions (ksh and bash) also provide more-advanced command-line capabilities. ...