A shell builtin is nothing but command or a function, called from a shell, that is executed directly in the shell itself. The bash shell executes the command directly, without invoking another program. You can view information for Bash built-ins with help command. There are different types of built-in commands.
built-in command types
- Bourne Shell Builtins: Builtin commands inherited from the Bourne Shell.
- Bash Builtins: Table of builtins specific to Bash.
- Modifying Shell Behavior: Builtins to modify shell attributes and optional behavior.
- Special Builtins: Builtin commands classified specially by POSIX.
How to see all bash builtins
Type the following command:
$ help
$ help | less
$ help | grep read
Sample outputs:
GNU bash, version 4.1.5(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu) These shell commands are defined internally. Type `help' to see this list. Type `help name' to find out more about the function `name'. Use `info bash' to find out more about the shell in general. Use `man -k' or `info' to find out more about commands not in this list. A star (*) next to a name means that the command is disabled. job_spec [&] history [-c] [-d offset] [n] or hist> (( expression )) if COMMANDS; then COMMANDS; [ elif C> . filename [arguments] jobs [-lnprs] [jobspec ...] or jobs > : kill [-s sigspec | -n signum | -sigs> [ arg... ] let arg [arg ...] [[ expression ]] local [option] name[=value] ... alias [-p] [name[=value] ... ] logout [n] bg [job_spec ...] mapfile [-n count] [-O origin] [-s c> bind [-lpvsPVS] [-m keymap] [-f filen> popd [-n] [+N | -N] break [n] printf [-v var] format [arguments] builtin [shell-builtin [arg ...]] pushd [-n] [+N | -N | dir] caller [expr] pwd [-LP] case WORD in [PATTERN [| PATTERN]...)> read [-ers] [-a array] [-d delim] [-> cd [-L|-P] [dir] readarray [-n count] [-O origin] [-s> command [-pVv] command [arg ...] readonly [-af] [name[=value] ...] or> compgen [-abcdefgjksuv] [-o option] > return [n] complete [-abcdefgjksuv] [-pr] [-DE] > select NAME [in WORDS ... ;] do COMM> compopt [-o|+o option] [-DE] [name ..> set [--abefhkmnptuvxBCHP] [-o option> continue [n] shift [n] coproc [NAME] command [redirections] shopt [-pqsu] [-o] [optname ...] declare [-aAfFilrtux] [-p] [name[=val> source filename [arguments] dirs [-clpv] [+N] [-N] suspend [-f] disown [-h] [-ar] [jobspec ...] test [expr] echo [-neE] [arg ...] time [-p] pipeline enable [-a] [-dnps] [-f filename] [na> times eval [arg ...] trap [-lp] [[arg] signal_spec ...] exec [-cl] [-a name] [command [argume> true exit [n] type [-afptP] name [name ...] export [-fn] [name[=value] ...] or ex> typeset [-aAfFilrtux] [-p] name[=val> false ulimit [-SHacdefilmnpqrstuvx] [limit> fc [-e ename] [-lnr] [first] [last] o> umask [-p] [-S] [mode] fg [job_spec] unalias [-a] name [name ...] for NAME [in WORDS ... ] ; do COMMAND> unset [-f] [-v] [name ...] for (( exp1; exp2; exp3 )); do COMMAN> until COMMANDS; do COMMANDS; done function name { COMMANDS ; } or name > variables - Names and meanings of so> getopts optstring name [arg] wait [id] hash [-lr] [-p pathname] [-dt] [name > while COMMANDS; do COMMANDS; done help [-dms] [pattern ...] { COMMANDS ; } |
Another option is to use the NA command:
compgen -b
compgen -b | more
Viewing information for Bash built-ins
To get detailed info run:
help command
help read
To just get a list of all built-ins with a short description, execute:
$ help -d
Find syntax and other options for builtins
Use the following syntax ‘ to find out more about the builtins commands:
help name help cd help fg help for help read help : |
Sample outputs:
:: :
Null command.
No effect; the command does nothing.
Exit Status:
Always succeeds |
Find out if a command is internal (builtin) or external
Use the type command or command command:
type -a command-name-here type -a cd type -a uname type -a : type -a ls |
OR
type -a cd uname : ls uname |
Sample outputs:
cd is a shell builtin
uname is /bin/uname
: is a shell builtin
ls is aliased to `ls --color=auto'
ls is /bin/ls
l is a function
l ()
{
ls --color=auto
}
OR
command -V ls command -V cd command -V foo |
4 comment
hi,
Thanks. I updated the page.