Working in the terminal with Git often means switching between branches and directories rapidly. It’s easy to lose track of your current branch, especially when juggling multiple features, hotfixes, or code reviews. Thankfully, there’s a way to enhance your command line interface so you always know which Git branch you’re on—without running git status every few minutes.
In this blog post, we’ll update your .bashrc file so that your terminal prompt automatically displays the Git repository and active branch whenever you navigate into a Git-tracked directory.
- Why This Matters
- The Bash Function
- Customizing Your PS1 Prompt
- How to Apply It
- Make It Your Own
- Conclusion
Why This Matters
Being aware of your current branch reduces mistakes, such as accidentally committing to main instead of a feature branch. By showing the branch in your prompt, you stay oriented and reduce mental overhead during development.
The Bash Function
First, define a Bash function that grabs the current branch name and wraps it in simple square brackets. This function filters the output of git branch to find the currently checked-out branch and applies formatting.
Customizing Your PS1 Prompt
Next, you modify your shell prompt (PS1) to include:
- Your username and hostname
- The current working directory
- The Git branch, if inside a Git-tracked directory
The updated prompt uses ANSI color codes to distinguish elements: yellow for the working directory, cyan for the Git branch, and default colors elsewhere.
How to Apply It
- Open your
~/.bashrcfile in your preferred text editor. - Add the function that parses the Git branch.
- Add or modify the PS1 variable to include a call to that function.
- Save and close the file.
- Apply the changes by running
source ~/.bashrc.
Add the below text to your ~/.bashrc file :
# Function to get the current Git branch name and format it with square brackets
parse_git_branch() {
git branch 2>/dev/null | grep '*' | sed 's/* /[/' | sed 's/$/]/'
}
# Set the shell prompt to show:
# - username@hostname
# - current working directory
# - current Git branch (if inside a Git repo), shown in [brackets]
export PS1="\u@\h \[\e[33m\]\w \[\e[36m\]\$(parse_git_branch)\[\e[0m\] \$ "
After this, your prompt will dynamically update to display the Git branch whenever you are inside a Git repository.
Make It Your Own
This is just a starting point. You can take it further by:
- Changing colors to suit your style
- Adding timestamps
- Including the last command’s exit code
- Displaying the current Python virtual environment
There are many ways to customize your terminal to match your workflow.
Conclusion
This small tweak to your ~/.bashrc adds a lot of value to your day-to-day Git operations. Knowing which branch you’re on at a glance helps prevent mistakes, keeps you organized, and increases your overall productivity in the terminal.
In future blog posts, we’ll continue diving into tips and tweaks for a more efficient command-line experience.
📝 For more information about ~/.bashrc script, please review this blog article .
