An alias is successfully a “shortcut” command in Bash. For instance, when you use the terminal in Ubuntu loads, and get sick of typing sudo apt replace;sudo apt improve -y all the time, you’ll be able to create an alias known as “update” that can execute those self same instructions without having to sort out a lot.
Bash aliases are outlined in each consumer’s dwelling listing in the .bashrc file. For extra data on aliases, run the man command under. It’s going to present you all there may be to find out about aliases, how they work, and what you are able to do with them.
man bash | grep alias
You may also check out the full Bash guide by operating:
man bash
Setting instructions as aliases
The most typical use for alias in Bash is utilizing it to execute a number of, lengthy instructions directly to save time. On this instance, we are going to go over how to flip Ubuntu’s lengthy replace instructions right into a easy alias.
To start out the course of, open up a terminal window in your Linux desktop by urgent Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, open up your .bashrc file in the Nano textual content editor with the command under.
nano -w ~/.bashrc
Inside the .bashrc file, you’ll discover quite a lot of code already there. The builders of your Linux distribution outline this textual content. If you don’t perceive what any of it’s, it’s best to ignore it and go away it’s, and transfer to the backside of the file.
At the backside of the .bashrc file, press the Enter key to create a brand new line. It’s essential to create a brand new line in your .bashrc file earlier than including to it, as you would mess up the code already there.
After creating a brand new line in the .bashrc file, write out alias on the new line. Every new alias you create should begin with alias , in any other case .bashrc and your terminal emulator is not going to learn it accurately.
alias
Following alias= on the new line, you have to give your new alias a reputation. On this instance, we’re overlaying Ubuntu’s lengthy replace instructions, so, we are going to use ubuntu-update as the new alias title. Nonetheless, be happy to title your alias no matter you want.
alias ubuntu-update
When you’ve named your alias, it’s time to add in the = signal.
alias ubuntu-update=
Subsequent, after the = signal, add in the first " (citation mark). This citation mark will include your whole instructions inside the alias.
alias ubuntu-update="
Up to now we have now alias ubuntu-update=". Now it’s time to add in the instructions that we wish the alias to name when ubuntu-update is used.
Notice: use ; to write a number of instructions in a single line. Similar to command1;command2;command3, and so forth.
alias ubuntu-update="sudo apt replace;sudo apt improve -y
Once you’ve completed writing out the instructions in the alias, shut it off with the second " (citation mark). With each citation marks, it ought to seem like the instance under.
alias ubuntu-update="sudo apt update;sudo apt upgrade -y"
Save your new alias by urgent Ctrl + O on the keyboard. Exit Nano with Ctrl + X. Then, shut the terminal window and re-open it.
Once you’ve re-opened the terminal, run ubuntu-update to check out the new alias.
Setting bash scripts as aliases
Do you know that it is usually doable to run bash scripts as an alias? Right here’s the way it works.
First, open up your .bashrc file. Then, go to the backside of the file and press the Enter key on the keyboard to create a brand new line in the file.
sudo nano -w ~/.bashrc
On the new line, write alias adopted by the title of the script. On this instance, the script title is mybashscript. It ought to seem like alias mybashscript.
alias mybashscript
Subsequent, add in the = signal, and the first " (quotation mark). After adding in the = and ", it should seem like the instance under.
alias mybashscript="
Following the first " (citation mark), add in the command to launch your code. Please keep in mind that that is an instance, so you’ll need to exchange ~/path/to/bash/script/script.sh with the precise script file, you need to execute inside the .bashrc alias.
alias mybashscript="bash ~/path/to/bash/script/script.sh
After writing in the command to execute the script file, shut off the alias with the second citation mark ". When the complete alias is written out, it ought to look one thing like the instance under.
alias mybashscript="bash ~/path/to/bash/script/script.sh"
Save the edits to the .bashrc file by urgent Ctrl + O, and exit with Ctrl + X. Then, shut your terminal window and re-open it to execute your new bash script by way of an alias.
To launch the alias, run mybashscript (or no matter you’ve named your alias) and press Enter.
