# Linux - Working with the history of your last fired actions > Master your Linux command line history. Learn how to view, locate (.bash_history, .zsh_history), and manage your previously executed commands with essential tips. ---  **TL;DR** This article covers working with shell history in Bash/ZSH: locating the history file via `$HISTFILE`, excluding sensitive commands with `HISTIGNORE`/`HISTORY_IGNORE` or a leading space (`hist_ignore_space`), filtering with `history | grep`, fuzzy-searching via `CTRL`+`R`, using zsh-autosuggestions to sidestep manual history search entirely, and deleting specific entries with `history -d`. For me, one of the undeniable strengths of the command line under Linux is the management of the history of previously executed commands. *The single biggest upgrade you can make to that history is [fzf](/blog/linux-fzf-introduction): it turns `CTRL`+`R` into a fuzzy, interactive search instead of a linear one. If you want something more structured — with timestamps, exit codes, working directory, and optional multi-machine sync — [Atuin](/blog/atuin-bash-history) replaces the flat history file with a SQLite database entirely.* To be able to press the `Up` or `Down` keys on the keyboard to return to previously run commands, wow. For older users, there was [DOSKEY](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOSKEY) under MSDos, but Linux goes much further. Let's look at a few tricks. ## Getting your history First things first, to display the list of commands you've entered in the past, simply start `history` in a Linux console. ## Location of your history By default, your history is stored in a file called `.bash_history` in your home directory. You can display the last five commands f.i. by running `tail -n5 ~/.bash_history`. > **On my own, since I'm using ZSH, my history is in `~/.zsh_history`.:** > > The easiest way to determine where your history is stored is to show the content of the `$HISTFILE` variable like this: `echo $HISTFILE`. > **Information:** > > Very recently, I had to take over a script developed by a colleague (let's call him JohnDoe) and I didn't know how to call it from the command line or what parameters to pass to it. > > As I'm a *root user* on the server, I simply consulted his history. All I had to do was display its `/home/john_doe/.bash_history` file. ### HISTIGNORE // HISTORY\_IGNORE variables The `HISTIGNORE` (for Bash) or the `HISTORY_IGNORE` (ZSH) variable can be used to specify some patterns you don't want to be saved in your history file. Let's take an example: `HISTIGNORE="sudo *"` will prevent all commands starting with `sudo` from being written to the history file. You can also use a pattern like `HISTIGNORE="*password*"` to prevent commands containing the word *password* from being written. To be able to specify more than one rule, just use the colon `:` character like in `HISTIGNORE="sudo *:*password*"`. ## Don't put a specific command in the history Imagine a command like `curl --user name:password http://www.example.com`. Did you really want to put that command (so your login and password in plain text) in the history file? Using [ZSH](/blog/tags/zsh), I just need to add a space before my command so by running `[SPACE]curl --user name:password http://www.example.com`. ```none # So, don't start your command like this: $ curl --user name:password http://www.example.com # v--- But just add a space character before $ curl --user name:password http://www.example.com ``` > **Information:** > > The space character is triggered by the `hist_ignore_space` option, defined in `.oh-my-zsh/lib/history.zsh`. ## Using grep to filter your history Let's say you wish to retrieve the latest `docker exec` instructions you've fired: `history | grep -i "docker exec"` i.e. simply *pipe* the output of the `history` command to the `grep` one and apply a filter (case insensitive using the `-i` flag). On my own, I don't need this because I'm using `CTRL`+`R` under ZSH. ## CTRL-R is your friend The `CTRL`+`R` keystrokes will display a small popup window (both in Bash or ZSH) and you'll be able to quickly search in your command's history. Below is the look and feel for ZSH; much better and easier than under Bash.  So press `CTRL`+`R` then start to type some letters like *gacom* and every entry having these letters (like **g**it add . ; git **com**mit ... will be retrieved). This popup is still a linear walk through a flat text file, though: no timestamp, no exit code, no idea which folder you were in. If that limitation starts to bite, [Atuin rebuilds the same `CTRL`+`R` shortcut on top of a SQLite database](/blog/atuin-bash-history) and keeps all that context for you. ## Autosuggestions in the console using ZSH By using ZSH and zsh-autosuggestion (see [my previous post](/blog/zsh-plugin-autosuggestions)) you don't even need to worry about the history anymore. Just start to type the first letters of a command like **doc** and all your previous **docker** fired statements will be accessible (just use navigation keys to select a previous command or type some more letters to be more restrictive). ## Delete an instruction from your history Ouch! You've forgotten to add a single space before your confidential instruction so, now, it's stored in the history. No panic! The history file is ... a file so just run `vi $HISTFILE` and you can edit it. Or, perhaps easier, just use `history -d` followed by the line number as displayed in the history output. So if the output of `history` is the one below, I can remove the `vi` line by running `history -d 2130` ```bash $ history -d 2130 2129 history | grep -i "docker exec" 2130 vi $HISTFILE 2131 history | grep -i "docker exec" ``` > **Information:** > > But, then the command `history -d 2130` will appear in the history, of course. So editing the file using a text editor is perhaps more ... discreet. > **Note:** > > You can specify a range like `history -d 2100-2130` (Bash 5.1+).