How to make bash history prefix-sensitive?

Question

How can I make pressing up/down on bash bring up the last command that started with the prefix I already entered?

E.g.

$ ls foo
$ echo hello
$ ls <UP_ARROW>

Clicking UP after entering ls should bring up "ls foo" and not "echo hello"

Answer 1

A few possibilities:

1. Bind the history-search-backward/forward commands. I believe this is closest to what you want:

   bind '"\e[A":history-search-backward'
   bind '"\e[B":history-search-forward'
   

2. Use the history i-search. This is probably bound to ^R. On an empty line, ^Rls<space> will get you back to ls foo, then ^R again will take you to the last ls command (or other command with ls somewhere in the line) before ls foo, etc...

3. Bind the magic-space command: bind SPACE:magic-space. Then type (on an empty line) !ls<space>, and readline will perform history substitution automatically, leaving you with ls foo.