Bash Keyboard Shortcuts Every Software Engineer Should Know

Last Updated: August 18, 2023

16 essential keyboard shortcuts for Bash

Why it matters:

For any software engineer of note, your time is always at a premium, so the ability to quickly & efficiently navigate your way around the terminal will boost your productivity no end.

ctrl + A
#go to the START of the current line
ctrl + E
#go to the END of the current line
ctrl + L
#clear the screen
ctrl + U
#clear the line BEFORE the cursor position
ctrl + K
#clear the line AFTER the cursor position
#NB If you are at the end of the line the entire line is cleared
alt + F
#move forward one word position
alt + B
#move backwards one word position
tab
#autocomplete file & folder names...based on existing folder contents

The Big Picture:

Remember these venerable shortcuts?

CTRL-C for COPY
CTRL-X for CUT
CTRL-V for PASTE
CTRL-Z for UNDO

Of course you do, you use them daily.

Similarly, once you practice bash shortcuts they will speed your navigation & boost productivity x 100

Go Deeper…

Further Reading:

RedHatDotCom: 5 ways to navigate the Linux terminal faster