Command aliases are a great way to save time and increase productivity when working with the command line in Linux/Ubuntu. An alias is simply a shortcut or alternate name for a longer command or series of commands. In this blog post, we will explore how to set up command aliases in Linux/Ubuntu.

Step 1: Open the Bashrc file

The first step is to open the Bashrc file, which is a script that is run whenever a new terminal session is started. This file is located in the home directory and can be opened using any text editor. For example, to open the file using the Nano text editor, type the following command into the terminal:

nano ~/.bashrc

Step 2: Create a new alias

To create a new alias, we simply add a new line to the Bashrc file using the following syntax:

alias aliasname='command'

Here, aliasname is the name of the new alias and command is the command or series of commands that the alias represents. For example, to create an alias called ll that runs the ls -la command, we would add the following line to the Bashrc file:

alias ll='ls -la'

Step 3: Save and close the Bashrc file

Once the new alias has been added to the Bashrc file, we need to save and close the file. In Nano, we can do this by pressing Ctrl+O to save the file and Ctrl+X to close it.

Step 4: Reload the Bashrc file

To make the new alias available in the current terminal session, we need to reload the Bashrc file using the following command:

source ~/.bashrc

This will apply any changes made to the Bashrc file without the need to restart the terminal.

Step 5: Use the new alias

Once the new alias has been set up and the Bashrc file has been reloaded, we can use the alias just like any other command. For example, to use the ll alias we created earlier, we would simply type ll into the terminal and hit enter. The system will recognize ll as a shortcut for ls -la and execute the command accordingly.

Conclusion

Setting up command aliases in Linux/Ubuntu is a simple process that can greatly improve productivity and efficiency when working with the command line. By creating custom shortcuts for frequently used commands, we can save time and reduce the risk of errors caused by typing long or complicated commands. With a little bit of practice, setting up and using command aliases will become second nature, and you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them!