# Startup Files: .bashrc, .zshrc and source

Bash reads ~/.bashrc every time a terminal opens, and a Mac's zsh reads ~/.zshrc, so aliases and functions you add there are always ready; keep a backup before you edit it, and use source to load your changes into the shell you're in.

![Cheat sheet for the lesson Startup Files: .bashrc, .zshrc and source: Bash reads ~/.bashrc every time a terminal opens, and a Mac's zsh reads ~/.zshrc, so aliases and functions you add there are always ready; keep a backup before you edit it, and use source to load your changes into the shell…](https://fsdtrainingmedia.blob.core.windows.net/public/images/2026/11/0829a83e79e74ef5960651ead4f31aa5.webp)

- Category: Bash
- Level: Apprentice
- Tags: <source>, bashrc-and-profile, configuration-file, linux, login-shell, unix
- Updated: November 10, 2026

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/cheat-sheets/bash-startup-files-cheat-sheet