Character
|
Where
|
Meaning
|
ESC
|
csh
|
Filename completion.
|
RETURN
|
csh, sh
|
Execute command.
|
space
|
csh, sh
|
Argument separator.
|
TAB
|
csh, sh
|
Argument separator.
|
TAB
|
bash
|
Filename completion.
|
#
|
csh, sh
|
Start a comment.
|
`
|
csh, sh
|
Command substitution (backquotes).
|
"
|
csh, sh
|
Weak quotes.
|
'
|
csh, sh
|
Strong quotes.
|
\
|
csh, sh
|
Single?character quote.
|
$var
|
csh, sh
|
Variable.
|
${var}
|
csh, sh
|
Same as $var.
|
$var:mod
|
csh
|
Edit var with modifier mod
|
${var?default}
|
sh
|
If var not set, use default.
|
${var=default}
|
sh
|
If var not set, set it to default and use that value.
|
${var+instead}
|
sh
|
If var set, use instead. Otherwise, null string.
|
${var?message}
|
sh
|
If var not set, print message (else default). If var set, use its value.
|
${var#pat}
|
ksh, bash
|
Value of var with smallest pat deleted from start.
|
${var##pat}
|
ksh, bash
|
Value of var with largest pat deleted from start.
|
${var%pat}
|
ksh, bash
|
Value of var with smallest pat deleted from end.
|
${var%%pat}
|
ksh, bash
|
Value of var with largest pat deleted from end.
|
|
|
csh, sh
|
Pipe standard output.
|
|&
|
csh
|
Pipe standard output and standard error.
|
^
|
sh
|
Pipe character (obsolete).
|
^
|
csh, bash
|
Edit previous command line.
|
&
|
csh, sh
|
Run program in background.
|
?
|
csh, sh
|
Match one character.
|
*
|
csh, sh
|
Match zero or more characters.
|
;
|
csh, sh
|
Command separator.
|
;;
|
sh
|
[/td]End of case statement.[/tr]
|
~
|
csh, ksh, bash
|
Home directory.
|
~user
|
csh, ksh, bash
|
Home directory of user.
|
!
|
csh, bash
|
Command history.
|
-
|
Programs
|
Start of optional argument.
|
-
|
Programs
|
Read standard input. (Only certain programs.)
|
$#
|
csh, sh
|
Number of arguments to script.
|
"$@"
|
sh
|
Original arguments to script.
|
$*
|
csh, sh
|
Arguments to script.
|
$-
|
sh
|
Flags set in shell.
|
$?
|
sh
|
Status of previous command.
|
$$
|
csh, sh
|
Process identification number.
|
$!
|
sh
|
Process identification number of last background job.
|
$<
|
csh
|
Read input from terminal.
|
cmd1 && cmd2
|
csh, sh
|
Execute cmd2 if cmd1 succeeds.
|
cmd1 || cmd2
|
csh, sh
|
Execute cmd2 if cmd1 succeeds.
|
$(..)
|
ksh, bash
|
Command substitution.
|
((..))
|
ksh, bash
|
Arithmetic evaluation.
|
\. file
|
sh
|
Execute commands from file in this shell.
|
:
|
sh
|
Evaluate arguments, return true.
|
:
|
sh
|
Separate values in paths.
|
:
|
csh
|
Variable modifier.
|
[]
|
csh, sh
|
Match range of characters.
|
[]
|
sh
|
Test.
|
%job
|
csh, ksh, bash
|
Identify job number.
|
(cmd;cmd)
|
csh, sh
|
Run cmd;cmd in a subshell.
|
{}
|
csh, bash
|
In?line expansions.
|
{cmd;cmd;}
|
sh
|
Like (cmd;cmd) without a subshell.
|
>file
|
csh, sh
|
Redirect standard output.
|
>>file
|
csh, sh
|
Append standard output.
|
csh, sh
|
Redirect standard input.
|
|
<
csh, sh
|
Read until word, do command and variable substitution.
|
|
<<\word
|
csh, sh
|
Read until word, no substitution.
|
|
sh
|
Read until word, ignoring leading TABs.
|
>>! file
|
csh, sh
|
Append to file, even if noclobber set and file doesn't exist.
|
>! file
|
csh
|
Output to file, even if noclobber set and file exists.
|
>| file
|
ksh, bash
|
Output to file, even if noclobber set and file exists.
|
>& file
|
csh
|
Redirect standard output and standard error to file.
|
m> file
|
sh
|
Redirect output file descriptor m to file.
|
m>> file
|
sh
|
Append output file descriptor m to file.
|
m< file
|
sh
|
Redirect input file descriptor m from file.
|
<&m
|
sh
|
Take standard input from file descriptor m.
|
<&?
|
sh
|
Close standard input.
|
>&m
|
sh
|
Use file descriptor m as standard output.
|
>&-
|
sh
|
Close standard output.
|
m<&n
|
sh
|
Connect input file descriptor n to file descriptor m.
|
m<&-
|
sh
|
Close input file descriptor m.
|
n>&m
|
sh
|
Connect output file descriptor n to file descriptor m.
|
m>&-
|
sh
|
Close output file descriptor m.
|