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Introduction to Line Editing

The following paragraphs describe the notation we use to represent keystrokes.

The text, C-K, is read as “Control K” and describes the command to produce when using the Control and the K keys sequence. The text, M-K, is read as “Meta K” and describes the command to produce when using the Meta key (if you have one, it may be the key with a diamond), and the K key. If you do not have a meta key, the identical keystroke can be generated by using the Esc key, and then, K. Either process is known as “meta-fying the K key.” The text, M-C-K, is read as ‘Meta Control K’ and describes the command to produce when asked to “meta-fy C K.”

IMPORTANT:
The hyphen characters and the comma characters are not a part of the keystroke sequence to type.

All uppercase letters require using the shift key, of course, since all commands are specific.

In addition, several keys have their own names. Specifically, Delete, Esc, LFD(linefeed), SPACEBAR, Return, and TAB all stand for themselves when seen in this text, or in an init file (see Readline Init File for more information).