This is a quick list of features that make IPython a better shell than the one you are using right now. You should use the 'sh' profile ('pysh' shortcut, or 'ipython -p sh') to access all of these features without configuration. Use e.g. %bookmark? to get help for this feature.
- Proper bash-like tab completion.
- Use of / instead of \, everywhere
- Persistent %bookmark's
- %macro
- %store. Especially when used with macros and aliases.
-
cd -<tab>. (easily jump around directory history). Directory history persists across sessions.
- %env (see cookbook)
- Shadow history - %hist and %rep (see cookbook)
- %mglob
- Expansion of $python_variables in system commands
- var = !ls -la (capture command output to handy string lists)
http://ipython.scipy.org/moin/Download