# Alias built-in

The alias built-in defines and/or prints aliases.

## Syntax

- `alias [-gp] [name[=value]…]`

## Description

The alias built-in defines and/or prints aliases as specified by operands. The printed aliases can be used as (part of) shell commands. The built-in prints all currently defined aliases when given no operands.

## Options

`-g`
`--global`

  With this option, aliases are defined as global aliases; without this option, as normal aliases.

`-p`
`--prefix`

  With this option, aliases are printed in a full command form like `alias -g foo='bar'`. Without this option, only command operands are printed like `foo='bar'`.

## Operands

name

  The name of an alias that should be printed.

name=value

  The name and value of an alias that is being defined.

## Exit status

The exit status of the alias built-in is zero unless there is any error.

## Notes

The characters that cannot be used in an alias name are the space, tab, newline, and any of `=$<>\'"`;&|()#`. You can use any characters in an alias value.

The alias built-in is a semi-special built-in.

The POSIX standard defines no options for the alias built-in, thus no options are available in the POSIXly correct mode.