How to add git branch name to shell prompt in Ubuntu

When I work in a git repository directory that has many branches, I want to know which branch I am currently in on my shell prompt. Below is the sample output result.

Before my shell prompt is like this. Note suppose I am on folder ~/general/repos/playground.

sony@ubuntu:~/general/repos/playground$

We will create like this.

sony@ubuntu:~/general/repos/playground (master)$

On above example, I am on my playground git repository directory and it display the branch name master. It means I am on master branch now.

Today I will share how to create it.

Scenario

I want to add git branch name to my shell prompt when I am in a project repository directory. I am using Ubuntu, so the default shell is bash.

Step-by-step to go there

Step 1. Go to your shell prompt first.

Step 2. We have to know the current prompt setting, type like below.

echo $PS1

$PS1 is the enviroment variable that store the default prompt setting we see every time when we log in the console.

On mine, the setting is like below.

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

Looks great.

Step 3. Open file ~/.bashrc

vi ~/.bashrc

Step 4. Add this function on the bottom of your ~/.bashrc file.

git_branch() {
  git branch 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^*]/d' -e 's/* \(.*\)/(\1)/'
}

Step 5. Add this on the bottom of your ~/.bashrc file. Add the git_branch function on the shell prompt, by adding it on PS1 variable. Sample like below (that based on my $PS1 output above).

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

Step 6. You are done. Now save the file ~/.bashrc and run this command to reflect the changes.

source ~/.bashrc

Or you can close the terminal and re-open again to reflect the changes.

Now on my shell prompt will display like below.

sony@ubuntu:~/general/repos/playground (master)$

Add color to make it better

This is just additional cosmetics things. I will make the branch indicator (master) to green for foreground color. Add this \[\033[00;32m\]\$(git_branch)\[\033[00m\] to your PS1 variable. On mine is like below.

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

That's it.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.

Reference

• https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Guide_to_Unix/Explanations/Shell_Prompt
• https://www.shellhacks.com/show-git-branch-terminal-command-prompt/
• https://linoxide.com/how-tos/change-bash-prompt-variable-ps1/
• https://askubuntu.com/questions/590899/how-do-i-check-which-shell-i-am-using

Credits

• Cover image is photo by Adrianna Calvo from Pexels at https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-nature-beach-sand-21859/

Comments

[Bruno Kern]

I want to add a * if there are not staged file changes and a + if there are staged file changes. I used to have that on my old computer and want to do on my new one. Do you have any idea on how I can do it?

Thanks!

[edgarVazquez43]

Maybe it help you, add these lines to .bashrc :

# Colors definition
BLUE='\e[94m'
L_BLUE='\e[96m'
YELLOW='\e[93m'
GREEN='\e[32m'
L_GREEN='\e[92m'
RED='\e[31m'
L_RED='\e[91m'
NC='\e[0m'

export GIT_PS1_SHOWDIRTYSTATE=true        # show * for changes
export GIT_PS1_SHOWUNTRACKEDFILES=true    # show % for new files
export PS1="$GREEN\u$YELLOW@$L_GREEN\h$YELLOW: $BLUE\W $L_RED\$(__git_ps1)$NC $ "

[otreblanc]

Thanks

[Ameer Hamza]

Awesome article. One gotcha though, If I make a new branch from the terminal it doesn't immediately reflect the changes. I have to open a new terminal or run source ~/.bashrc again

[Sony AK]

Thanks for the comment, yes yes you are right. I update also the article.

[Zarni]

Awesome!

[Sony AK]

Thank you!

[Danble]

Thanks, man! :)

[Raquel Santos | RS-coding]

I am adding at the end of the file the git branch function. and how do I get out of the file ~/.bashrc, to continue the tutorial and write the next code on shell prompt?

[Zarni]

How to change color for git branch name??? Please! defalut color is white, i wanna change color.

[Sony AK]

I think on the article already explained :)

[Chien]

It works for me. Thank you!
How to change branch name to other color? (for example: red,purple)

[Sony AK]

Hi Chien, thanks for reading my article, for changing to other color please refer to color code, for example in this link misc.flogisoft.com/bash/tip_colors... or this shellhacks.com/bash-colors/

[DylanGrums]

Awesome ! Thank you for this nice article !