bash Quick Reference

Name

history

Synopsis

history [count]
history [options]

Print commands in the history list or manage the history file. With no options or arguments, display the history list with command numbers. With a count argument, print only that many of the most recent commands.

Options

-a

Append new history lines (those executed since the beginning of the session) to the history file.

-c

Clear the history list (remove all entries).

-d position

Delete the history item at position position.

-n

Read unread history lines from the history file into the history list.

-p argument …

Perform csh-style history expansion on each argument, printing the results to standard output. The results are not saved in the history list.

-r

Read the history file and replace the history list with its contents.

-s argument …

Store the arguments in the history list, as a single entry.

-w

Write the current history list to the history file, overwriting it entirely.