source: BOOK/system-config/common/profile.xml@ 5d3c158

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<sect1 id="ch-config-profile">
  <title>The Bash Shell Startup Files</title>
  <?dbhtml filename="profile.html"?>

  <indexterm zone="ch-config-profile">
    <primary sortas="e-/etc/profile">/etc/profile</primary>
  </indexterm>

  <para>The shell program <command>/bin/bash</command> (hereafter
  referred to as <quote>the shell</quote>) uses a collection of startup
  files to help create an environment to run in. Each file has a
  specific use and may affect login and interactive environments
  differently. The files in the <filename class="directory">/etc</filename>
  directory provide global settings. If an equivalent file exists in the
  home directory, it may override the global settings.</para>

  <para>An interactive login shell is started after a successful login,
  using <command>/bin/login</command>, by reading the
  <filename>/etc/passwd</filename> file. An interactive non-login shell
  is started at the command-line (e.g.,
  <prompt>[prompt]$</prompt><command>/bin/bash</command>). A
  non-interactive shell is usually present when a shell script is
  running. It is non-interactive because it is processing a script and
  not waiting for user input between commands.</para>

  <para>For more information, see <command>info bash</command> under the
  <emphasis>Bash Startup Files and Interactive Shells</emphasis> section,
  and <ulink url="&cblfs-root;index.php/Bash_Startup_Files">Bash Startup
  Files</ulink> in CBLFS.</para>

  <para>The files <filename>/etc/profile</filename> and
  <filename>~/.bash_profile</filename> are read when the shell is
  invoked as an interactive login shell. In the next section, a base
  <filename>/etc/profile</filename> will be created to set up locale
  information.</para>

</sect1>