source code for unix environments 'cd' command

Question

Where can I find the source code for Unix environment's cd command?

I want to know how the command is implemented.

Answer 1

Here is a complete explanation how cd works: http://web.archive.org/web/20090515201659/http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~brett/cs153_w02/syscall.html

The cd Unix command just calls chdir and examines the error codes.

Answer 2

To see the source for the bash cd command, for example:

1. Download the bash source from http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/bash/
2. Extract the source
3. Examine bash-./builtins/cd.def, where "." represents the version you downloaded (e.g. 4.2). This is the file from which cd.c is created, according to the comment at the top of the file.

Answer 3

cd is usually built-in in the shell, you should just look at the code of any shell, e.g. bash, or ash.

The cd command should be ultimately based on the chdir() function, but if you're interested in all the command line expansions, then the source is the shell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_computer_shells

Answer 4

using chdir function:

http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/functions/chdir.html