What is Reverse Search in Command Line

The Ctrl + R shortcut in the command line is a powerful feature called “reverse search.” It allows you to search through your command history and quickly retrieve and reuse previously executed commands based on keywords.

Here’s how you can use Ctrl + R for reverse search:

1. Start by opening your command-line interface (e.g., Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell).
2. Press Ctrl + R on your keyboard. This will activate the reverse search mode.
3. You’ll notice that the command prompt changes to (reverse-i-search) or a similar indicator, indicating that you are in reverse search mode.
4. Begin typing a keyword or a portion of the command you want to search for. As you type, the command-line interface will dynamically display the most recent matching command based on your input.
5. If the displayed command is what you were looking for, you can press Enter to execute it immediately.
6. If the displayed command is not the one you intended, you can continue pressing Ctrl + R to cycle through the matching commands. Each subsequent press of Ctrl + R will display the next command that matches your keyword.
7. Once you find the desired command, you can either press Enter to execute it or use other keyboard shortcuts (such as Ctrl + A to move to the start of the command, or Ctrl + E to move to the end) to modify it before execution.

Reverse search with Ctrl + R is particularly helpful when you need to recall and reuse specific commands from your command history without manually scrolling through or searching your entire history.

It’s worth noting that the reverse search feature may work slightly differently depending on your specific command-line interface and configuration. However, the basic functionality of searching through your command history based on keywords remains the same.

The Ctrl + R reverse search feature is commonly available in Unix-like systems, such as Linux, macOS, and some Unix-based terminals. It may not work or have different behavior on other systems, such as Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell.

In Windows Command Prompt and PowerShell, you can use the F7 key to access a command history window, where you can browse and select previously executed commands. This provides similar functionality to reverse search by allowing you to navigate through the command history and execute or edit specific commands.

It’s important to note that command-line features and keyboard shortcuts can vary across different operating systems and command-line interfaces. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to refer to the documentation or help resources specific to your system and terminal to learn about available features and shortcuts.

If you’re using a Unix-like system, such as Linux or macOS, you should be able to enjoy the convenience of reverse search with Ctrl + R in your command-line interface. For Windows users, utilizing the command history window with the F7 key can provide a similar functionality.

Also read How to add keyboard shortcuts for commands