history
View command history
TLDR
Display the commands history list with line numbers
Display the last 20 commands (in Zsh it displays all commands starting from the 20th)
Display history with timestamps in different formats (only available in Zsh)
[c]lear the commands history list
Over[w]rite history file with history of current Bash shell (often combined with history -c to purge history)
[d]elete the history entry at the specified offset
Add a command to history without running it
Run a command without adding it to history by adding a leading space
SYNOPSIS
history [n]
history { -c | -d offset[..offset] | -a[n] | -n[filename] | -r[filename] | -w[filename] | -p | -s words... }
PARAMETERS
-a
append new history lines to the history file
-c
clear the history list by deleting all entries
-d offset[..offset]
delete specified history entry(ies); positive from start, negative from end
-n [filename]
read unread lines from history file (default HISTFILE) into memory
-p
perform history expansion (!!, !n) on input lines, print without storing
-r [filename]
read history lines from file (default HISTFILE), overwriting current list
-s words...
append supplied words as a single new history entry
-w [filename]
write current history to file (default HISTFILE), overwriting it
n
print only last n entries if positive; combine with options
DESCRIPTION
The history command, a Bash shell builtin, views and manipulates the list of previously executed commands stored in memory and optionally in a file. It enhances productivity by allowing quick recall, editing, and reuse of past inputs, reducing typing errors and repetition.
Invoked without arguments, it prints the full history with line numbers. Specifying a positive integer n limits output to the last n entries; a negative n shows from the start. Options provide control: clear lists, delete entries, sync with files, perform expansions, or append new commands.
History behaves per-session in memory (sized by HISTSIZE) and persists via HISTFILE (default ~/.bash_history, sized by HISTFILESIZE). Lines append on logout or manually; duplicates may be ignored per HISTCONTROL. Timestamps appear if HISTTIMEFORMAT is set.
Common workflow: use history | grep keyword to search, or !! for quick reuse. Integrates with editing via fc. Secure shells may limit sharing to prevent info leaks.
CAVEATS
Bash builtin only (no /bin/history); per-shell memory differs from shared file; large histories slow shells; insecure sharing leaks commands; disabled via enable -n history.
KEY VARIABLES
HISTFILE: file path (~/.bash_history).
HISTSIZE: max in-memory lines.
HISTFILESIZE: max file lines.
HISTCONTROL: ignore dups/starts/spaces.
EXAMPLES
history 20: last 20 commands.
history -c && history -w: clear and save.
history -d 10: delete entry 10.
history | grep apt: search history.
HISTORY
Introduced in Bash 1.14 (1994) inspired by ksh/csh; enhanced in Bash 2.0+ with file sync (-a/-w), deletion (-d), expansion (-p/-s); Bash 3.0 added timestamps (HISTTIMEFORMAT), Bash 4.0 ignored patterns (HISTIGNORE). Widely used for interactive shells.
