Unix Command-Line Editing Summary

Here is a table that summarizes how to start using UNIX command-line editing. 

 Command-line editing can be helpful whenever the number of keystrokes it takes

 you to edit and re-run a command is less than the number of keystrokes to re-type

 it.   It is very helpful any time you are running commands repeatedly, and can

 significantly reduce the time and effort it takes to complete your Unix projects.

Part 1.   Re-Running a command line depends on which shell you are running.

How to Re-Run commands:	ksh	bash
re-run the last command	r	!!
re-run by <command number>, say:  90	r  <number>        e.g.,   r   90	!<number>     e.g.,    !90
re-run  by <string>, e.g., grep     finds most recent command line that starts-with  <string>.	r   <string>        e.g.,    r   grep	!<string>      e.g.,   !grep

Part 2:  Editing a command line depends on which style of editing you are using. 
(Just a few of the many possible commands for editing a line in "vi" and "emacs" are listed.)

Function	'vi' style	'emacs' style
Default for this shell	ksh	bash
"set" command to switch to it	set   -o   vi	set   -o   emacs
Finding a command line to Edit:
enter command line edit mode	<esc>	always on because we use control characters or escape sequences
go back a line	k	^P
go forward a line	n	^N
search back for a <string>, e.g., grep     finds most recent command line that contains <string>.  If repeated, finds second most recent occurence.	/<string>            e.g.,    /grep	^R<string>        e.g.,   ^Rgrep
Positioning the cursor on the current command line:
start of line	^      (shift-6)	^A
end of line	$	^E
forward (right) one:  character	<space>	^F
word	w	<esc>f
back (left)  one:        character	h	^B
word	b	<esc>b
Deleting Text:   delete character under cursor	x	^D
delete from cursor to end of word	dw	<esc>d
to end of line	d$	^K
Adding Text:   insert before cursor	i       (press <esc> to end)	just type
Executing the edited command line:	<enter>   (from anywhere on  line)	<enter> (from anywhere on  line)

Note: the emacs editing control characters are capitalized only for readability.  "^A" means: ctrl-a (no shift key).