Terminal Shortcuts
You can use a mouse and the arrow keys, but what's the fun in that?
If you don't understand what some of these do, don't worry.
Come back to this page after you learn your first commands.
Essential Shortcuts¶
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tab | Auto-complete commands, file names, and paths |
| Up / Down | Scroll through command history |
| Ctrl+C | Cancel/kill the current command |
Ctrl+L or clear |
Clear the screen |
Ctrl+D or exit |
Close the terminal / exit the shell |
Nice-to-Know Shortcuts¶
(Not Essential, But Helpful)
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+A | Jump to the beginning of the line |
| Ctrl+E | Jump to the end of the line |
| Ctrl+Left / Ctrl+Right | Jump one word left/right |
| Ctrl+U | Delete from cursor to the beginning of the line |
| Ctrl+K | Delete from cursor to the end of the line |
| Ctrl+W | Delete the word before the cursor |
| Ctrl+R | Search command history |
"Every shortcut you learn is a tiny speed boost. They add up."
Check Your Understanding¶
Test yourself with these real terminal scenarios.
1. The Forgotten Command¶
You typed a command. Then you typed another one. Now you want to run the first command again without retyping it.
How do you do it?
Reveal Answer
- Press the Up to scroll through your command history until you find it
- Or Ctrl+R - type part of the command and it searches automatically
2. The Long Line¶
You typed this:
Your cursor is at the end of a long line. You realize you're in the wrong directory and want to delete the entire line to start over.
Which shortcut do you use?
Reveal Answer
- Ctrl+U - Deletes from cursor to the beginning of the line
- Or Ctrl+A then Ctrl+K - jump to start, then delete to end
3. The Terminal is Stuck¶
You typed something and hit Enter. Now it's just sitting there. No prompt, no response. It's stuck (or just taking forever).
How do you get out and try again?
Reveal Answer
- Ctrl+C - Cancels whatever is running and gives you a fresh prompt.