How to change the output color of echo in Linux

I am trying to print a text in the terminal using echo command.

I want to print the text in a red color. How can I do that?


You can use these ANSI escape codes:

Black        0;30     Dark Gray     1;30
Red          0;31     Light Red     1;31
Green        0;32     Light Green   1;32
Brown/Orange 0;33     Yellow        1;33
Blue         0;34     Light Blue    1;34
Purple       0;35     Light Purple  1;35
Cyan         0;36     Light Cyan    1;36
Light Gray   0;37     White         1;37

And then use them like this in your script:

#    .---------- constant part!
#    vvvv vvvv-- the code from above
RED='33[0;31m'
NC='33[0m' # No Color
printf "I ${RED}love${NC} Stack Overflown"

which prints love in red.

From @james-lim's comment, if you are using the echo command, be sure to use the -e flag to allow backslash escapes.

# Continued from above example
echo -e "I ${RED}love${NC} Stack Overflow"

(don't add "n" when using echo unless you want to add additional empty line)


You can use the awesome tput command (suggested in Ignacio's answer) to produce terminal control codes for all kinds of things.


Usage

Specific tput sub-commands are discussed later.

Direct

Call tput as part of a sequence of commands:

tput setaf 1; echo "this is red text"

Use ; instead of && so if tput errors the text still shows.

Shell variables

Another option is to use shell variables:

red=`tput setaf 1`
green=`tput setaf 2`
reset=`tput sgr0`
echo "${red}red text ${green}green text${reset}"

tput produces character sequences that are interpreted by the terminal as having a special meaning. They will not be shown themselves. Note that they can still be saved into files or processed as input by programs other than the terminal.

Command substitution

It may be more convenient to insert tput 's output directly into your echo strings using command substitution:

echo "$(tput setaf 1)Red text $(tput setab 7)and white background$(tput sgr 0)"

Example

The above command produces this on Ubuntu:

彩色终端文本截图


Foreground & background colour commands

tput setab [1-7] # Set the background colour using ANSI escape
tput setaf [1-7] # Set the foreground colour using ANSI escape

Colours are as follows:

Num  Colour    #define         R G B

0    black     COLOR_BLACK     0,0,0
1    red       COLOR_RED       1,0,0
2    green     COLOR_GREEN     0,1,0
3    yellow    COLOR_YELLOW    1,1,0
4    blue      COLOR_BLUE      0,0,1
5    magenta   COLOR_MAGENTA   1,0,1
6    cyan      COLOR_CYAN      0,1,1
7    white     COLOR_WHITE     1,1,1

There are also non-ANSI versions of the colour setting functions ( setb instead of setab , and setf instead of setaf ) which use different numbers, not given here.

Text mode commands

tput bold    # Select bold mode
tput dim     # Select dim (half-bright) mode
tput smul    # Enable underline mode
tput rmul    # Disable underline mode
tput rev     # Turn on reverse video mode
tput smso    # Enter standout (bold) mode
tput rmso    # Exit standout mode

Cursor movement commands

tput cup Y X # Move cursor to screen postion X,Y (top left is 0,0)
tput cuf N   # Move N characters forward (right)
tput cub N   # Move N characters back (left)
tput cuu N   # Move N lines up
tput ll      # Move to last line, first column (if no cup)
tput sc      # Save the cursor position
tput rc      # Restore the cursor position
tput lines   # Output the number of lines of the terminal
tput cols    # Output the number of columns of the terminal

Clear and insert commands

tput ech N   # Erase N characters
tput clear   # Clear screen and move the cursor to 0,0
tput el 1    # Clear to beginning of line
tput el      # Clear to end of line
tput ed      # Clear to end of screen
tput ich N   # Insert N characters (moves rest of line forward!)
tput il N    # Insert N lines

Other commands

tput sgr0    # Reset text format to the terminal's default
tput bel     # Play a bell

With compiz wobbly windows, the bel command makes the terminal wobble for a second to draw the user's attention.


Scripts

tput accepts scripts containing one command per line, which are executed in order before tput exits.

Avoid temporary files by echoing a multiline string and piping it:

echo -e "setf 7nsetb 1" | tput -S  # set fg white and bg red

See also

  • See man 1 tput
  • See man 5 terminfo for the complete list of commands and more details on these options. (The corresponding tput command is listed in the Cap-name column of the huge table that starts at line 81.)

  • some variables that you can use:

    # Reset
    Color_Off='33[0m'       # Text Reset
    
    # Regular Colors
    Black='33[0;30m'        # Black
    Red='33[0;31m'          # Red
    Green='33[0;32m'        # Green
    Yellow='33[0;33m'       # Yellow
    Blue='33[0;34m'         # Blue
    Purple='33[0;35m'       # Purple
    Cyan='33[0;36m'         # Cyan
    White='33[0;37m'        # White
    
    # Bold
    BBlack='33[1;30m'       # Black
    BRed='33[1;31m'         # Red
    BGreen='33[1;32m'       # Green
    BYellow='33[1;33m'      # Yellow
    BBlue='33[1;34m'        # Blue
    BPurple='33[1;35m'      # Purple
    BCyan='33[1;36m'        # Cyan
    BWhite='33[1;37m'       # White
    
    # Underline
    UBlack='33[4;30m'       # Black
    URed='33[4;31m'         # Red
    UGreen='33[4;32m'       # Green
    UYellow='33[4;33m'      # Yellow
    UBlue='33[4;34m'        # Blue
    UPurple='33[4;35m'      # Purple
    UCyan='33[4;36m'        # Cyan
    UWhite='33[4;37m'       # White
    
    # Background
    On_Black='33[40m'       # Black
    On_Red='33[41m'         # Red
    On_Green='33[42m'       # Green
    On_Yellow='33[43m'      # Yellow
    On_Blue='33[44m'        # Blue
    On_Purple='33[45m'      # Purple
    On_Cyan='33[46m'        # Cyan
    On_White='33[47m'       # White
    
    # High Intensity
    IBlack='33[0;90m'       # Black
    IRed='33[0;91m'         # Red
    IGreen='33[0;92m'       # Green
    IYellow='33[0;93m'      # Yellow
    IBlue='33[0;94m'        # Blue
    IPurple='33[0;95m'      # Purple
    ICyan='33[0;96m'        # Cyan
    IWhite='33[0;97m'       # White
    
    # Bold High Intensity
    BIBlack='33[1;90m'      # Black
    BIRed='33[1;91m'        # Red
    BIGreen='33[1;92m'      # Green
    BIYellow='33[1;93m'     # Yellow
    BIBlue='33[1;94m'       # Blue
    BIPurple='33[1;95m'     # Purple
    BICyan='33[1;96m'       # Cyan
    BIWhite='33[1;97m'      # White
    
    # High Intensity backgrounds
    On_IBlack='33[0;100m'   # Black
    On_IRed='33[0;101m'     # Red
    On_IGreen='33[0;102m'   # Green
    On_IYellow='33[0;103m'  # Yellow
    On_IBlue='33[0;104m'    # Blue
    On_IPurple='33[0;105m'  # Purple
    On_ICyan='33[0;106m'    # Cyan
    On_IWhite='33[0;107m'   # White
    

    the escape character in bash , hex and octal respectively:

    |       | bash  | hex    | octal   | NOTE                         |
    |-------+-------+--------+---------+------------------------------|
    | start | e    | x1b   | 33    |                              |
    | start | E    | x1B   | -       | x cannot be capital          |
    | end   | e[0m | x1m0m | 33[0m |                              |
    | end   | e[m  | x1b[m | 33[m  | 0 is appended if you omit it |
    |       |       |        |         |                              |
    

    short example:

    | color       | bash         | hex            | octal          | NOTE                                  |
    |-------------+--------------+----------------+----------------+---------------------------------------|
    | start green | e[32m<text> | x1b[32m<text> | 33[32m<text> | m is NOT optional                     |
    | reset       | <text>e[0m  | <text>1xb[0m  | <text>33[om  | o is optional (do it as best practice |
    |             |              |                |                |                                       |
    

    bash exception:

    If you are going to use these codes in your special bash variables

  • PS0
  • PS1
  • PS2 (= this is for prompting)
  • PS4
  • you should add extra escape characters so that bash can interpret them correctly. Without this adding extra escape characters it works but you will face problems when you use Ctrl + r for search in your history.

    exception rule for bash

    You should add [ before any starting ANSI code and add ] after any ending ones.
    Example:
    in regular usage: 33[32mThis is in green33[0m
    for PS0/1/2/4: [33[32m]This is in green[33[m]

    [ is for start of a sequence of non-printable characters
    ] is for end of a sequence of non-printable characters

    Tip: for memorize it you can first add [] and then put your ANSI code between them:
    - [start-ANSI-code]
    - [end-ANSI-code]

    type of color sequence:

  • 3/4 bit
  • 8 bit
  • 24 bit
  • Before diving into these colors, you should know about 4 modes with these codes:

    1. color-mode

    It modifies the style of color NOT text. For example make the color bright or darker.

  • 0 reset
  • 1; lighter than normal
  • 2; darker than normal
  • This mode is not supported widely. It is fully support on Gnome-Terminal.

    2. text-mode

    This mode is for modifying the style of text NOT color.

  • 3; italic
  • 4; underline
  • 5; blinking (slow)
  • 6; blinking (fast)
  • 7; reverse
  • 8; hide
  • 9; cross-out
  • and are almost supported.
    For example KDE-Konsole supports 5; but Gnome-Terminal does not and Gnome supports 8; but KDE does not.

    3. foreground mode

    This mode is for colorizing the foreground.

    4. background mode

    This mode is for colorizing the background.

    The below table shows a summary of 3/4 bit version of ANSI-color

    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    | color-mode | octal    | hex     | bash  | description      | example (= in octal)         | NOTE                                 |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |          0 | 33[0m  | x1b[0m | e[0m | reset any affect | echo -e "33[0m"            | 0m equals to m                       |
    |          1 | 33[1m  |         |       | light (= bright) | echo -e "33[1m####33[m"  | -                                    |
    |          2 | 33[2m  |         |       | dark (= fade)    | echo -e "33[2m####33[m"  | -                                    |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |  text-mode | ~        |         |       | ~                | ~                            | ~                                    |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |          3 | 33[3m  |         |       | italic           | echo -e "33[3m####33[m"  |                                      |
    |          4 | 33[4m  |         |       | underline        | echo -e "33[4m####33[m"  |                                      |
    |          5 | 33[5m  |         |       | blink (slow)     | echo -e "33[3m####33[m"  |                                      |
    |          6 | 33[6m  |         |       | blink (fast)     | ?                            | not wildly support                   |
    |          7 | 03[7m  |         |       | reverse          | echo -e "33[7m####33[m"  | it affects the background/foreground |
    |          8 | 33[8m  |         |       | hide             | echo -e "33[8m####33[m"  | it affects the background/foreground |
    |          9 | 33[9m  |         |       | cross            | echo -e "33[9m####33[m"  |                                      |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    | foreground | ~        |         |       | ~                | ~                            | ~                                    |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |         30 | 33[30m |         |       | black            | echo -e "33[30m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         31 | 33[31m |         |       | red              | echo -e "33[31m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         32 | 33[32m |         |       | green            | echo -e "33[32m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         33 | 33[32m |         |       | yellow           | echo -e "33[33m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         34 | 33[32m |         |       | blue             | echo -e "33[34m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         35 | 33[32m |         |       | purple           | echo -e "33[35m####33[m" | real name: magenta = reddish-purple  |
    |         36 | 33[32m |         |       | cyan             | echo -e "33[36m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         37 | 33[32m |         |       | white            | echo -e "33[37m####33[m" |                                      |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |         38 | 8/24     |                    This is for special use of 8-bit or 24-bit                                            |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    | background | ~        |         |       | ~                | ~                            | ~                                    |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |         40 | 33[40m |         |       | black            | echo -e "33[40m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         41 | 33[41m |         |       | red              | echo -e "33[41m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         42 | 33[42m |         |       | green            | echo -e "33[42m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         43 | 33[43m |         |       | yellow           | echo -e "33[43m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         44 | 33[44m |         |       | blue             | echo -e "33[44m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         45 | 33[45m |         |       | purple           | echo -e "33[45m####33[m" | real name: magenta = reddish-purple  |
    |         46 | 33[46m |         |       | cyan             | echo -e "33[46m####33[m" |                                      |
    |         47 | 33[47m |         |       | white            | echo -e "33[47m####33[m" |                                      |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    |         48 | 8/24     |                    This is for special use of 8-bit or 24-bit                                            |                                                                                       |
    |------------+----------+---------+-------+------------------+------------------------------+--------------------------------------|
    

    The below table shows a summary of 8 bit version of ANSI-color

    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+------------------+------------------------------------+-------------------------|
    | foreground | octal     | hex       | bash    | description      | example                            | NOTE                    |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+------------------+------------------------------------+-------------------------|
    |        0-7 | 33[38;5 | x1b[38;5 | e[38;5 | standard. normal | echo -e '33[38;5;1m####33[m'   |                         |
    |       8-15 |           |           |         | standard. light  | echo -e '33[38;5;9m####33[m'   |                         |
    |     16-231 |           |           |         | more resolution  | echo -e '33[38;5;45m####33[m'  | has no specific pattern |
    |    232-255 |           |           |         |                  | echo -e '33[38;5;242m####33[m' | from black to white     |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+------------------+------------------------------------+-------------------------|
    | foreground | octal     | hex       | bash    | description      | example                            | NOTE                    |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+------------------+------------------------------------+-------------------------|
    |        0-7 |           |           |         | standard. normal | echo -e '33[48;5;1m####33[m'   |                         |
    |       8-15 |           |           |         | standard. light  | echo -e '33[48;5;9m####33[m'   |                         |
    |     16-231 |           |           |         | more resolution  | echo -e '33[48;5;45m####33[m'  |                         |
    |    232-255 |           |           |         |                  | echo -e '33[48;5;242m####33[m' | from black to white     |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+------------------+------------------------------------+-------------------------|
    

    The 8-bit fast test:
    for code in {0..255}; do echo -e "e[38;05;${code}m $code: Test"; done

    The below table shows a summary of 24 bit version of ANSI-color

    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+-------------+------------------------------------------+-----------------|
    | foreground | octal     | hex       | bash    | description | example                                  | NOTE            |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+-------------+------------------------------------------+-----------------|
    |      0-255 | 33[38;2 | x1b[38;2 | e[38;2 | R = red     | echo -e '33[38;2;255;0;02m####33[m'  | R=255, G=0, B=0 |
    |      0-255 | 33[38;2 | x1b[38;2 | e[38;2 | G = green   | echo -e '33[38;2;;0;255;02m####33[m' | R=0, G=255, B=0 |
    |      0-255 | 33[38;2 | x1b[38;2 | e[38;2 | B = blue    | echo -e '33[38;2;0;0;2552m####33[m'  | R=0, G=0, B=255 |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+-------------+------------------------------------------+-----------------|
    | background | octal     | hex       | bash    | description | example                                  | NOTE            |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+-------------+------------------------------------------+-----------------|
    |      0-255 | 33[48;2 | x1b[48;2 | e[48;2 | R = red     | echo -e '33[48;2;255;0;02m####33[m'  | R=255, G=0, B=0 |
    |      0-255 | 33[48;2 | x1b[48;2 | e[48;2 | G = green   | echo -e '33[48;2;;0;255;02m####33[m' | R=0, G=255, B=0 |
    |      0-255 | 33[48;2 | x1b[48;2 | e[48;2 | B = blue    | echo -e '33[48;2;0;0;2552m####33[m'  | R=0, G=0, B=255 |
    |------------+-----------+-----------+---------+-------------+------------------------------------------+-----------------|
    

    some screen-shots

    foreground 8-bit summary in a .gif

    foreground.gif

    background 8-bit summary in a .gif

    background.gif

    color summary with their values

    在这里输入图像描述在这里输入图像描述在这里输入图像描述在这里输入图像描述

    blinking on KDE-Terminal

    KDE-闪烁

    a simple C code that shows you more

    cecho_screenshot

    a more advanced tool that I developed to deal with these colors:
    bline


    color-mode shot

    褪色正常亮

    text mode shot

    仅文本模式

    combining is OK

    结合

    more shots


    Tips and Tricks for Advanced Users and Programmers:

    Can we use these codes in a programming language?

    Yes, you can. I experienced in bash, c, c++, d perl, python

    Are they slow down the speed of a program?

    I think, NO.

    Can we use these on Windows?

    3/4-bit Yes, if you compile the code with gcc
    some screen-shots on Win-7

    How to calculate the length of code?

    33[ = 2, other parts 1

    Where can we use these codes?

    Anywhere that has a tty interpreter
    xterm , gnome-terminal , kde-terminal , mysql-client-CLI and so on.
    For example if you want to colorize your output with mysql you can use Perl

    #!/usr/bin/perl -n
    print "33[1m33[31m$133[36m$233[32m$333[33m$433[m" while /([|+-]+)|([0-9]+)|([a-zA-Z_]+)|([^w])/g;
    

    store this code in a file name: pcc (= Perl Colorize Character) and then put the file a in valid PATH then use it anywhere you like.

    ls | pcc
    df | pcc

    inside mysql first register it for pager and then try:

    [user2:db2] pager pcc
    PAGER set to 'pcc'
    [user2:db2] select * from table-name;
    

    It does NOT handle Unicode.

    Do these codes only do colorizing?

    No, they can do a lot of interesting things. Try:

    echo -e '33[2K'  # clear the screen and do not move the position
    

    or:

    echo -e '33[2J33[u' # clear the screen and reset the position
    

    There are a lot of beginners that want to clear the screen with system( "clear" ) so you can use this instead of system(3) call

    Are they available in Unicode?

    Yes. u001b

    Which version of these colors is preferable?

    It is easy to use 3/4-bit , but it is much accurate and beautiful to use 24-bit .
    If you do not have experience with html so here is a quick tutorial:
    24 bits means: 00000000 and 00000000 and 00000000 . Each 8-bit is for a specific color.
    24..17 is for and 16..9 for and 8..1 for
    So in html #FF0000 means and here it is: 255;0;0
    in html #00FF00 means which here is: 0;255;0
    Does that make sense? what color you want combine it with these three 8-bit values.


    reference:
    Wikipedia
    ANSI escape sequences
    tldp.org
    tldp.org
    misc.flogisoft.com
    some blogs/web-pages that I do not remember

    badges:

    链接地址: http://www.djcxy.com/p/9588.html

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