# Making It Yours

Short names, a startup file, a prompt in your colors, and the tools worth installing.

Updated: November 10, 2026

## [Shortcuts](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-shortcuts)

1. [Aliases and Small Functions](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-aliases-and-small-functions) (Apprentice): An alias gives a long command a short name, such as ll for ls -lah, and a small function does the same for a job that needs the word you type after it, such as mkcd to make a folder and go into it.
2. [Startup Files: .bashrc, .zshrc and source](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-startup-files) (Apprentice): 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.
3. [A Prompt in Your Colors](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-custom-prompt) (Journeyman): The prompt is the text in a variable, PS1, so you choose what it shows with codes such as \\W for the folder and \\A for the time, color it with \\\[\\e\[…m\\\] codes, show the Git branch with \_\_git_ps1, and keep it in ~/.bashrc.

## [Installing](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-installing)

1. [Installing Tools: Homebrew and apt](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-installing-tools) (Apprentice): A package manager is an app store you type to; on Ubuntu it's apt, which needs sudo to install, and on a Mac it's Homebrew's brew, which doesn't, and both search, install, update and remove tools by name.
2. [Your Dotfiles: A Setup You Can Carry](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-dotfiles) (Journeyman): Dotfiles are the hidden settings files that make a shell yours; keep your own in a ~/dotfiles folder, link each one into place with ln -s, and keep the folder in Git if you use it, and a new computer is set up like your old one in a minute.

## [Exercise: Your Toolkit, Version 1](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/exercise-bash-your-toolkit-v1)

1. [Exercise: Your Toolkit, Version 1](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/exercise-bash-your-toolkit-v1) (Apprentice): Build the first version of your own toolkit, a file of aliases, two small functions and a prompt in your colors, answer four questions about startup files and installing tools, and let a check script try every shortcut for real.

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/chapters/bash-making-it-yours