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Shell initialisation and configuration files

By default, none of the following files may be present on your account, and you will get the default settings for the system. However, you may want to customise your environment to add new variables, functions or aliases to your sessions or jobs.

FileWhen it is sourced?Who sources it?What is it for?
$HOME/.profile
each login and job executionBash and kshSuitable for your own login session settings (e.g. PATH).
$HOME/.bash_profile
each bash startup login and job executionBash only

Suitable for your own login session settings that must only run once for the session or job (e.g. PATH).

It overrides .profile if present

$HOME/.bashrc
each bash startup and job executioninteractive non-login shellBash only

Suitable for your own

settings

functions and aliases to load for

all kinds of sessions, including

interactive non-login sessions.

It is not loaded automatically on login sessions

$HOME/.bash_logout
each bash exit and end of jobBash onlySuitable for your own cleanup settings at the end of the session or job
$HOME/.kshrc
each ksh startup login and job executionksh onlySuitable for your own settings to load for all kinds of sessions, including non-login sessionsinteractive shells


Tip
titleSuggested settings for Bash users

If bash is your login shell and you would like to customise your environment without having to split content between ~/.bash_profile and ~/.bashrc, you could do the following:

  • Make sure your ~/.bash_profile contains the following snippet:

    Code Block
    languagebash
    title~/.bash_profile
    if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
    . ~/.bashrc
fi


  • Add in your ~/.bashrc all your environment variable definitions, functions and aliases.