Enhance and secure your Bash shells
Bash Tricks
© Lead Image © Ksenia Raykova, 123RF.com
The Bash shell is powerful and infinitely expressive. In this article we describe some tricky techniques you can use to enhance and customize your Bash environment.
Ever stopped and thought about what you're typing several times a day at the command prompt? Many experts prefer the Bash command prompt for its versatility, speed, and convenience. However, users often stick with a small collection of commands without realizing the full range of possibilities available through the very expressive Bash shell. In this article, I will describe a few of my favorite tricks. You might already be using some of these techniques, and some might be new to you; in either case, I hope this article encourages you to explore the advanced capabilities available through Bash.
Tailoring ls
At the end of a long day's work, I recently found myself staring at the command line and wondering where a certain command originated, namely the ls command. I wouldn't want to hazard a guess at how many times I run the ls command everyday.
With those bleary eyes, I realized that I'd been typing this command for more than 20 years with little knowledge about it, other than it essentially meant list. For something so succinct, the all pervasive ls command is not only greatly understated but also commonly taken for granted.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Reaches EOL
Linux kernel 6.16 has reached its end of life, which means you'll need to upgrade to the next stable release, Linux kernel 6.17.
-
Amazon Ditches Android for a Linux-Based OS
Amazon has migrated from Android to the Linux-based Vega OS for its Fire TV.
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.