2 Ways to Search Your Command Line History

Sometimes you have to execute a complex command that you’ve used in the past. Instead of using the up-arrow key to scroll through your previous commands one at a time, here are two ways you can run a command without typing it again.

1. The history command

• Type history and hit enter
• Find the number of the command you want to run again
• Use one of the following commands:
  • !213 runs command number 213
  • !! runs the last command
  • sudo !! reruns the last command command as sudo

2. Reverse Search

• Use control + r and the type one or two words from the command you’re looking for
• Keep hitting control + r to go back through the history and find the exact command you’re looking for
• Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, hit tab to autocomplete the entire command
• Hit enter to run the command