Webmasters often use SSH to remotely admin web sites and servers, learn how to make your shell colorful and powerful using my sample .bash_profile and you can be up and running in 30 seconds!

ScreenShot using the custom .bash_profile

Create the Custom Environment

All you have to do is create or edit your ~ root file .bash_profile to get the customization you want. The PS1 variable being exported below is the prompt. I included a few alias commands as well, which explains why the outputs from the 2 screen captures above are different for the ls command.

.bash_profile

Simply copy and paste the below or you can download text file: Custom Pretty DreamHost .bash_profile.

# ~/.bash_profile: executed by bash(1) for login shells.

umask 002

export PS1="ne[1;37m[e[0;32mue[0;35m@e[0;32mhe[1;37m]e[1;37m[e[0;31mwe[1;37m]n$ "
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/local/dh/java

alias dsiz='du -sk * | sort -n --'
alias bash='clear;/bin/bash -l'
alias ls='ls -lahF --color=auto'

More Reading

• Bash Man Page (html), (txt)
• HackTux Linux Help - Custom Bash Shell Prompts
• tldp.org - Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide - (pdf version)
• tldp.org - Bash Prompt HOWTO
• Life After Coffee - Customize your Bash Prompt
• TuxForums.org - Custom Bash Prompt How-To
• Google search results - "custom bash shell prompt"