[Linux] : How to install and use auto-completion or tab completion feature in YUM

When at the Linux or Unix shell typing in long file names or directories can become a burden, and to eliminate this there is a very handy feature called “Command-Line completion”. Command-line completion (also tab completion/auto completion) is a common feature of command line interpreters, in which the program automatically fills in partially typed commands. For example, if there is a file named “auto-complete.txt”, and we want to read it, I can type “cat auto” followed by tab, and it will auto-complete the file name as shown in the gif image below. But unfortunately while using YUM tool, i couldn’t find this feature. So we shall see how auto-completion can be enabled for YUM tool and the usage of it.

 1. Login as root and Install Bash-completion package using YUM

Tue Nov 05>$Su -
Tue Nov 05>#yum install bash-completion
Loaded plugins: security
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package bash-completion.noarch 0:20060301-1.el5.rf set to be updated
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

===========================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
===========================================================================================
Installing:
bash-completion noarch 20060301-1.el5.rf rpmforge 129 k

Transaction Summary
===========================================================================================
Install 1 Package(s)
Upgrade 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 129 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
bash-completion-20060301-1.el5.rf.noarch.rpm | 129 kB 00:00
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing : bash-completion 1/1

Installed:
bash-completion.noarch 0:20060301-1.el5.rf

Complete!
Tue Nov 05>$

2. Exit Shell and Login again – Very Important

Tue Nov 05>#exit

3. How to use auto-completion in YUM

Where ever you see [TAB] then it means you have to press tab button on the keyboard.

Tue Nov 05>$yum in[TAB]
info     install
Tue Nov 05>$yum ins[TAB]
Tue Nov 05>$yum install

4. How to use auto-completion for package names in YUM

Tue Nov 05>$yum install fire[TAB]
firefox.i386     firefox.x86_64   firewalk.x86_64
Tue Nov 05>$yum install firew[TAB]
Tue Nov 05>$yum install firewalk.x86_64

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