Using bind Command In Linux (Examples)

bind command in Linux is basically a builtin Bash shell command used for setting Readline key bindings and variables. In simple words, we use this command to set keybindings (keyboard actions) to a certain function. Doing this can also change how the bash will react to keys or key combinations while pressed on keyboard.

Syntax of using bind command in Linux

bind [-m keymap] [-lpsvPSV] 
bind [-m keymap] [-q function] [-u function] [-r keyseq] 
bind [-m keymap] -f filename 
bind [-m keymap] -x keyseq:shell-command 
bind [-m keymap] keyseq:function-name

Options for bind command and its description

• -m keymap: Using this option, KEYMAP scheme is used for the duration of current command sequence. There’s various keymap names available that includes emacs, emacs-standard, emacs-meta, emacs-ctlx, vi, vi-command and vi-insert.
• -L: Used for displaying names of functions.
• -P: Used for displaying function names and bindings.
• -p: Used for displaying functions and bindings in a form which can be reused as input.
• -S: Used for displaying key sequences that invoke macros and their values.
• -s: Used for displaying key sequences which invoke macros and their values in a reusable input form.
• -V: Used for displaying variable names and values.
• -v: Used for displaying readline variable names and values that can be re-read.
• -f filename: Reads keybindings from a specified filename.
• -q function : Used for querying about which keys invoke the named function.
• -u function: Unbinds keybindings to a named function.
• -r keyseq: Removes current keybindings for keyseq.
• -x keyseq:shell-command: It causes the shell-command to be executed whenever the keyseq is entered.
• -X: Displays key sequences bound with -x and associated commands in a reusable input form.

Examples of bind commands

bind -l

The above command will display all readline function names. By default, around 150 functions are available.

bind -p

This will display the keybindings and associated function names.

bind -f servonode

It will read key bindings from a specified FILENAME servonode.