How do I get a colored bash?

Open ~/.bashrc in text editor and uncomment line:

#force_color_prompt=yes

to be:

force_color_prompt=yes

save then execute source ~/.bashrc

I came up with this solution:

• open ~/.bashrc in an editor

• copy this and add it at the end of .bashrc file:

  PS1='\[\033[1;36m\]\u\[\033[1;31m\]@\[\033[1;32m\]\h:\[\033[1;35m\]\w\[\033[1;31m\]\$\[\033[0m\] '
  

• save the file and restart bashrc:

  source ~/.bashrc
  

For a full list of available colors and further options look up these links:

• wiki.ubuntuusers
• bash-color-chart

A version that is a bit more 'general' - should work with a varied environment:
(depends on terminfo)

Insert this in your $HOME/.bashrc:

function fgtab {
  echo "tput setf/setb - Foreground/Background table"
  for f in {0..7}; do
    for b in {0..7}; do
      echo -en "$(tput setf $f)$(tput setb $b) $f/$b "
    done
    echo -e "$(tput sgr 0)"
  done
}

# The prompt in a somewhat Terminal -type independent manner:
cname="$(tput setf 3)"
csgn="$(tput setf 4)"
chost="$(tput setf 2)"
cw="$(tput setf 6)"
crst="$(tput sgr 0)"
PS1="\[${cname}\]\u\[${csgn}\]@\[${chost}\]\h:\[${cw}\]\w\[${csgn}\]\$\[${crst}\] "

Then execute source ~/.bashrc.

After that, fgtab will display a color table with numbers. Those numbers are for tput setf n and tput setb n where 'n' is the number, 'f' stands for 'foreground' and 'b' stands for 'background' color.

tput sgr 0 will reset foreground and background colors to default.

And as you can see, changing the colors used for the prompt becomes really easy (just edit the same number in $HOME/.bashrc as you wish).

Add an $(tput setb n) in $cname if you wish to have ALL of the prompt with background n.