The stty Command

stty is an important command for setting and reporting terminal I/O options.

stty, used by itself, lists many of the most important terminal communication parameters:

\$  stty

speed 9600 baud; -parity hupcl 
rows = 25; columns = 80; ypixels = 281; xpixels = 486;
erase = ^h; swtch = <undef>; rprnt = <undef>; flush = <undef>; werase = <undef>; lnext = <undef>; 
-inpck -istrip icrnl -ixany onlcr tab3 
echo echoe echok

Used with the -a option, stty lists all of the terminal/keyboard settings.

\$  stty -a

speed 9600 baud; 
rows = 25; columns = 80; ypixels = 281; xpixels = 486;
intr = DEL; quit = ^|; erase = ^h; kill = @;
eof = ^d; eol = <undef>; eol2 = <undef>; swtch = <undef>;
start = ^q; stop = ^s; susp = ^z; dsusp = ^y;
rprnt = <undef>; flush = <undef>; werase = <undef>; lnext = <undef>;
-parenb -parodd cs8 -cstopb hupcl cread -clocal -loblk -parext 
-ignbrk -brkint -ignpar -parmrk -inpck -istrip -inlcr -igncr icrnl -iuclc 
ixon -ixany -ixoff -imaxbel 
isig icanon -xcase echo echoe echok -echonl -noflsh 
-tostop -echoctl -echoprt -echoke -defecho -flusho -pendin -iexten 
opost -olcuc onlcr -ocrnl -onocr -onlret -ofill -ofdel tab3

The following commands set your command-line erase character, your end-of-file character, interrupt character, and suspension character. These options are often set in your startup files, which are discussed in the next sections.

stty erase ^h

Set your erase character to ^h.  This is usually your Backspace key.

stty eof ^d

Set your end-of-file character to ^d.

stty intr ^c

Set your interrupt character to ^c.  This lets you stop processes that are actively running in the foreground on your computer.

stty susp ^z

Set your suspend character to ^z.  This lets you suspend processes that are currently running in the foreground.