bash history

Bash history preserved in ~/.bash_history there are a few ways to search it.
history | grep

history | grep git

the output would be like that
475 git checkout -f
479 gitx
481 git co sp/sprint1
487 git co master
488 git branch -D sp/sprint1
489 git br
491 git co sp/sprint1
496 git diff | gitx
502 git st
510 history | grep git


the followings will reference to line '502 git st'
> !502

# counting back from the last one
> !-1

# same as !-1
> !!

using the last event starting with 'git'
> !git



Or press Ctrl-R, and as you start typing the search goes back in reverse order to the first command that matches the letters you’ve typed.

Once you’ve found the command you have several options:

- Run it verbatim – just press Enter
- Cycle through other commands that match the letters you’ve typed – press Ctrl-R successively
- Quit the search and back to the command line empty-handed – press Ctrl-G


if you're using the history a lot you may want to add these line to your bash init file (~/.bash_profile)


# remove duplicates from the history
export HISTCONTROL=erasedups

# increases the history size
export HISTSIZE=10000

# ensures that when you exit a shell, the history from the session is appended to bash_history
shopt -s histappend


I copy and pasted from the following articles
working-with-history-in-bash, bash-history-reverse-intelligent-search, man history

i like Bash a lot.