# Shortcuts

Shortcuts: Aliases and Small Functions, Startup Files: .bashrc, .zshrc and source, A Prompt in Your Colors.

Updated: November 10, 2026

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.

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-shortcuts