Here is an example of an inputrc file. This illustrates key binding, variable assignment, and conditional syntax.
# This file controls the behaviour of line input editing for # programs that use the GNU Readline library. Existing # programs include FTP, Bash, and GDB. # # You can re-read the inputrc file with C-x C-r. # Lines beginning with '#' are comments. # # First, include any systemwide bindings and variable # assignments from /etc/Inputrc $include /etc/Inputrc # # Set various bindings for emacs mode. set editing-mode emacs $if mode=emacs Meta-Control-h: backward-kill-word Text after the function name is ignored # # Arrow keys in keypad mode # #"\M-OD": backward-char #"\M-OC": forward-char #"\M-OA": previous-history #"\M-OB": next-history # # Arrow keys in ANSI mode # "\M-[D": backward-char "\M-[C": forward-char "\M-[A": previous-history "\M-[B": next-history # # Arrow keys in 8 bit keypad mode # #"\M-\C-OD": backward-char #"\M-\C-OC": forward-char #"\M-\C-OA": previous-history #"\M-\C-OB": next-history # # Arrow keys in 8 bit ANSI mode # #"\M-\C-[D": backward-char #"\M-\C-[C": forward-char #"\M-\C-[A": previous-history #"\M-\C-[B": next-history C-q: quoted-insert $endif # An old-style binding. This happens to be the default. TAB: complete # Macros that are convenient for shell interaction $if Bash # edit the path "\C-xp": "PATH=${PATH}\e\C-e\C-a\ef\C-f" # prepare to type a quoted word -- # insert open and close double quotes # and move to just after the open quote "\C-x\"": "\"\"\C-b" # insert a backslash (testing backslash escapes # in sequences and macros) "\C-x\\": "\\" # Quote the current or previous word "\C-xq": "\eb\"\ef\"" # Add a binding to refresh the line, which is unbound "\C-xr": redraw-current-line # Edit variable on current line. "\M-\C-v": "\C-a\C-k$\C-y\M-\C-e\C-a\C-y=" $endif # use a visible bell if one is available set bell-style visible # don't strip characters to 7 bits when reading set input-meta on # allow iso-latin1 characters to be inserted rather # than converted to prefix-meta sequences set convert-meta off # display characters with the eighth bit set directly # rather than as meta-prefixed characters set output-meta on # if there are more than 150 possible completions for # a word, ask the user if he wants to see all of them set completion-query-items 150 # For FTP $if Ftp "\C-xg": "get \M-?" "\C-xt": "put \M-?" "\M-.": yank-last-arg $endif