Linux: Customize Shell Prompt

Show current prompt string1

echo $PS1

• \u --> Username
• \h --> Hostname
• \w --> Current working Directory
• More info @man page bash

To modify edit ~/.bashrc

# Example with Kali prompt
PS1="\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;31m\]\u@\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ "
export PS1

Test color and style with:

echo -e "\033[04;91;46m something \033[00m"

• 04 --> underline (01 bold)
• 91 --> ligth red foreground
• 46 --> cyan background

http://ezprompt.net
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bash/Prompt_customization#Colors

Examples

PS1="\[\e[31m\][\[\e[m\]\[\e[31m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[31m\]\h\[\e[m\]\[\e[31m\]]\[\e[m\]:\[\e[36m\][\[\e[m\]\[\e[36m\]\w\[\e[m\]\[\e[36m\]]\[\e[m\]\[\e[31m\]\\$\[\e[m\] "
export PS1="\[\e[33m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[31m\]\h\[\e[m\]:[\W]\\$ "

New line before, red username yellow@ green host:[blue path]$

PS1="\n\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;31m\]\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[01;32m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\][\w]\[\033[00m\]\$ "

red username yellow@ green host:[blue path]$

PS1="\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\n\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\033[01;31m\]\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[01;32m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\][\w]\[\033[00m\]$ "

Red username yellow @ purple hostname blue path

PS1="\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\033[01;31m\]\n\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[01;35m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\][\w]\[\033[00m\]$ "

New Line, red username, yellow @, red foreground and cyan background hostname, blue path

PS1="\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\033[01;31m\]\n\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[04;91;46m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\][\w]\[\033[00m\]$ "

New Line, red username, yellow @, red foreground and cyan background hostname, blue path

PS1="\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\e]0;\u@\h: \w\a\]\[\033[01;32m\]\n\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[04;91;46m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\][\w]\[\033[00m\]$ "

With flag

PS1=$'\\[\e[31m\\]\u2234\\[\e[0m\\]\n \\[\e[31m\\]\u2588\\[\e[33m\\]\u2588\\[\e[31m\\]\u2588  ${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;31m\]\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[01;31m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ \\[\e[0m\\] '

PS1=$'\\[\e[31m\\]\u2234\\[\e[0m\\]\n\\[\e[31m\\]\u2588\u2588\u2588\n\\[\e[33m\\]\u2588\u2588\u2588\n\\[\e[31m\\]\u2588\u2588\u2588  ${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;31m\]\u\[\033[01;33m\]@\[\033[01;31m\]\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ \\[\e[0m\\]'

With git branch and timestamp

git_branch () { 
  git branch 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^*]/d' -e 's/* \(.*\)/\1/'
}
PS1=\[\033[01;31m\]\t \[\033[01;32m\]durrantm \[\033[02;36m\]\h \[\033[01;34m\]`pwd | sed "s#\(/[^/]\{1,\}/[^/]\{1,\}/[^/]\{1,\}/\).*\(/[^/]\{1,\}/[^/]\{1,\}\)/\{0,1\}#\1_\2#g"` \[\033[00;33m\]$(git_branch)\[\033[00m\]\n\$

Green prompt with timestamp

PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;32m\]\D{%F %T}\n\u@\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ '

Green prompt with white timestamp

PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\n\[\033[00m\]\D{%F %T}\n\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ '

To test some color:

echo -e "\033[01;31mhi"

Another example:

function elite
{

local GRAY="\[\033[1;30m\]"
local LIGHT_GRAY="\[\033[0;37m\]"
local CYAN="\[\033[0;36m\]"
local LIGHT_CYAN="\[\033[1;36m\]"
local NO_COLOUR="\[\033[0m\]"

case $TERM in
    xterm*|rxvt*)
        local TITLEBAR='\[\033]0;\u@\h:\w\007\]'
        ;;
    *)
        local TITLEBAR=""
        ;;
esac

local temp=$(tty)
local GRAD1=${temp:5}
PS1="$TITLEBAR\
$GRAY-$CYAN-$LIGHT_CYAN(\
$CYAN\u$GRAY@$CYAN\h\
$LIGHT_CYAN)$CYAN-$LIGHT_CYAN(\
$CYAN\#$GRAY/$CYAN$GRAD1\
$LIGHT_CYAN)$CYAN-$LIGHT_CYAN(\
$CYAN\$(date +%H%M)$GRAY/$CYAN\$(date +%d-%b-%y)\
$LIGHT_CYAN)$CYAN-$GRAY-\
$LIGHT_GRAY\n\
$GRAY-$CYAN-$LIGHT_CYAN(\
$CYAN\$$GRAY:$CYAN\w\
$LIGHT_CYAN)$CYAN-$GRAY-$LIGHT_GRAY " 
PS2="$LIGHT_CYAN-$CYAN-$GRAY-$NO_COLOUR "
}

https://www.maketecheasier.com/8-useful-and-interesting-bash-prompts/
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Bash-Prompt-HOWTO/bash-prompt-escape-sequences.html
https://www.linux.com/learn/how-make-fancy-and-useful-bash-prompt-linux
http://misc.flogisoft.com/bash/tip_colors_and_formatting