Bash tab completion is a time-saving feature that automatically completes commands, filenames, and arguments as you type. It's an essential tool for enhancing productivity in the command-line interface.
When you press the Tab key while typing a command or path, Bash attempts to complete what you're typing based on available options. If there's only one possible completion, it fills it in automatically. If there are multiple options, pressing Tab twice will display all possibilities.
To use tab completion, simply start typing a command or path and press the Tab key:
$ cd /home/u[TAB]
# Completes to:
$ cd /home/user/
Tab completion works for commands as well. Start typing a command and press Tab:
$ sys[TAB][TAB]
sysctl systemctl systemd-analyze systemd-run
Bash allows you to customize tab completion behavior. You can add your own completion rules or modify existing ones using the complete
command or by editing completion scripts.
To further enhance your Bash skills, explore these related topics:
By mastering tab completion, you'll significantly improve your efficiency in the Bash environment, making command-line tasks quicker and more accurate.