Shell startup

Linux System Administrators Guide:
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# 10.6. Shell startup

When an interactive login shell starts, it automatically executes one or more pre-defined files. Different shells execute different files; see the documentation of each shell for further information.

Most shells first run some global file, for example, the Bourne shell (/bin/sh) and its derivatives execute `/etc/profile`; in addition, they execute `.profile` in the user's home directory. `/etc/profile` allows the system administrator to have set up a common user environment, especially by setting the `PATH` to include local command directories in addition to the normal ones. On the other hand, `.profile` allows the user to customize the environment to his own tastes by overriding, if necessary, the default environment.

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