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Accepted
Avinash Raj
Asked: 2014-04-10 19:07:51 +0800 CST

How to list all the shell keywords?

  • 772
$ type if
if is a shell keyword

I don't know the other shell keywords.

Is there any command to list all the bash shell keywords.?

Note: help -m displays both shell builtins and shell keywords.

command-line

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    For this exists that shell builtin command called compgen which most certainly you did not notice it when you run help -m.

    $ compgen -k
if
then
else
elif
fi
case
esac
for
select
while
until
do
done
in
function
time
{
}
!
[[
]]
coproc

    See help -m compgen for more info about compgen.

    • 16

  2. Idea taken from here:

    • In bash, to list all keywords, first run the following command in terminal:

      complete -A keyword :

    • Then type at the prompter: :SpaceTabTab.

    Works very well for me:

    !         {         coproc    elif      fi        if        then      while     
[[        }         do        else      for       in        time      
]]        case      done      esac      function  select    until
    • 5