Run Commands, the 'rc' in '.bashrc' (en.wikipedia.org)

Article summary

The term 'rc' in Unix-like systems stands for 'run commands', originating from the CTSS macro command processor RUNCOM. RUNCOM was created by Louis Pouzin in the 1960s and allowed users to execute a series of commands stored in a file. The concept of RUNCOM was later adopted in Unix, where 'rc' files are used to store startup information for commands. The 'rc' suffix is now commonly used in configuration files, such as .bashrc and .vimrc.

Main themes

• Unix history
• RUNCOM origins
• Configuration files
• Command processing
• Shell scripting

What commenters say

• The title of the article could be seen as clickbait, but the historical background provided is interesting and worthwhile. Some users thought the 'rc' in .bashrc stood for 'runtime configuration' or 'remote controlled', but it actually stands for 'run commands'. The .ssh/rc file can be used to run commands on every SSH login, and some users find this feature useful for setting up SSH forwarding. Others pointed out that this file is stored on the server, not locally, and is executed when a user logs in. There are scenarios where a command might be wanted on every SSH login, but not in the user's shell configuration file. The .ssh/rc file can be used to customize the SSH experience without modifying the system-wide configuration.