How do I see my current $PATH?
Run `echo $PATH` in the terminal. It prints all directories separated by colons. For a more readable format, run `echo $PATH | tr ":" "\n"` to list each directory on its own line.
Bash $PATH Debugger
Quick Answer
The `$PATH` environment variable is a colon-separated list of directories the shell searches when you type a command name without a full path. Duplicate entries waste lookup time on every command. Dead directories from uninstalled software slow startup. Missing entries cause exit code 127 even when the binary exists elsewhere on disk. Order matters: the shell uses the first match, so an older `python` in `/usr/bin` wins over a newer one in `/usr/local/bin` if it appears first. This debugger splits your pasted PATH into one directory per line, flags duplicates plus empty and relative entries, writes a shell one-liner that checks every directory on disk, and outputs a deduplicated string you can paste into `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc`. Run `echo $PATH`, paste the result, and review before editing your shell profile. No data leaves your browser. Use it when command-not-found errors appear after installing software, when CI builds behave differently from your laptop, or when cleaning up a PATH bloated by years of manual exports across profile files.
How to use the Bash $PATH Debugger
- 1Run `echo $PATH` in your terminal and paste the output into the input field.
- 2The tool splits the colon-separated PATH string and lists each directory as a separate entry.
- 3Review the output for duplicates, empty entries and relative entries, then run the generated check in your shell to find directories that do not exist.
- 4Copy the cleaned PATH string with duplicates removed and add it to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does PATH order matter in bash?
When you run a command, the shell searches PATH directories left to right and uses the first binary it finds. If you have two versions of a tool installed in different directories, the one in the earlier PATH entry wins. This is why putting your local bin directories first is important.
How do I permanently add a directory to $PATH?
Add `export PATH="/your/dir:$PATH"` to ~/.bashrc (bash) or ~/.zshrc (zsh). Then run `source ~/.bashrc` to apply changes to the current session. New terminal sessions will pick it up automatically.
What causes "command not found" errors in bash?
The binary is either not installed, or its directory is missing from $PATH. Paste your PATH into this tool to check whether the expected directory is present. If the directory is there, verify the binary exists with `which commandname` or `ls /expected/path/`.
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