Cheatsheet - Shell Shortcuts

Shortcuts (Sorted By Function)

Navigation

• Ctrl-a - Jump to the start of the line
• Ctrl-e - Jump to the end of the line
• Ctrl-f - Move forward a char
• Ctrl-b - Move back a char
• Ctrl-xx - Move between EOL and current cursor position

Edit

• Ctrl-d - Delete character from under the cursor
• Ctrl-w - Cut word before cursor
• Ctrl-k - Cut to EOL
• Ctrl-u - Cut from line start to cursor
• Ctrl-y - Paste
• Ctrl-t - move forward character before cursor

Search

• Ctrl-r: search backward.
• Ctrl-s: search forward.

For example, to search grep commands in your history and cycle through alternatives:

• Ctrl-r
• grep
• Ctrl-r
• Ctrl-s

Others

• Ctrl-c - Terminate the command
• Ctrl-z - Suspend/ Stop the command
• Ctrl-l - Clear the screen
• Ctrl-x @ - Show possible hostname completions

Shortcuts (Sorted By Key)

Ctrl

• Ctrl-a - Jump to the start of the line
• Ctrl-b - Move back a char
• Ctrl-c - Terminate the command (SIGINT)
• Ctrl-d - Delete character from under the cursor
• Ctrl-w - Delete word before cursor
• Ctrl-e - Jump to the end of the line
• Ctrl-f - Move forward a char
• Ctrl-k - Delete to EOL
• Ctrl-l - Clear the screen
• Ctrl-r - Search the history backwards
• Ctrl-u - Delete backward from cursor
• Ctrl-xx - Move between EOL and current cursor position
• Ctrl-x @ - Show possible hostname completions
• Ctrl-z - Suspend/ Stop the command (SIGSTP)
• Ctrl-t - move forward character before cursor
• Ctrl-\ - if Ctrl-c fails. (SIGQUIT)

Alt / Opt

• Alt-< - Move to the first line in the history
• Alt-> - Move to the last line in the history
• Alt-? - Show current completion list
• Alt-* - Insert all possible completions
• Alt-/ - Attempt to complete filename
• Alt-. - Yank last argument to previous command
• Alt-b - Move backward
• Alt-c - Capitalize the word
• Alt-d - Delete word
• Alt-f - Move forward
• Alt-l - Make word lowercase
• Alt-n - Search the history forwards non-incremental
• Alt-p - Search the history backwards non-incremental
• Alt-r - Recall command
• Alt-t - Move words around
• Alt-u - Make word uppercase
• Alt-backspace - Delete backward from cursor

Misc

• TAB TAB - Display all available commands(common)
• <STRING> TAB TAB - Display all available commands starting with string.
• / TAB TAB - Show entire directory structure including hidden ones.
• * TAB TAB - Show only sub-directories inside excluding hidden ones.
• ~ TAB TAB - Show all present users on system from "/etc/passwd"
• $ TAB TAB - Show all sys variables
• @ TAB TAB - Show all entries from "/etc/hosts"
• = TAB TAB - List output like ls or dir

What if opt does not work on macOS?

On macOS, Opt key can be used instead of Alt. However if Opt-d prints ∂ instead of deleting the word, try this:

• For Terminal: Settings -> Profiles -> Keyboard -> Toggle Use Option as Meta key.
• For iTerm2: Settings -> Profiles -> Keys -> Left Option key -> Select Esc+.