How to Record Every Terminal Session with Linux’s script Command

When working in a terminal or console you may want to record everything that happens for later review, auditing, or sharing with teammates. The Linux script command creates a typescript file that logs all input and output of the session.

What is script

script is a utility that records everything displayed on the terminal into a text file, allowing you to replay or examine the session later.

How to use

Start a recording with the default file name:

pungki@dev-machine:~$ script
Script started, file is typescript

Specify a custom file name: pungki@dev-machine:~$ script myfile When the prompt returns, everything typed and output will be saved to the file.

Why use script

Typical scenarios include:

Collaborating with colleagues : Record a session to a file (e.g., script collaborate) and share it so another engineer can review or append their work using the -a option.

Auditing remote users : Add script to a shell startup file (e.g., ~/.profile) so it runs automatically on login, logging all activity to a central location.

Example of adding script to ~/.profile for silent, append‑only logging:

# run the script command to record everything
# use -q for quiet and -a to append
/usr/bin/script -qa /usr/local/script/log_record_script

The -q option runs script in quiet mode so the user does not see a notification, while -a appends to the existing log instead of overwriting it.

Stopping the recording

Terminate the session by pressing Ctrl+D or typing exit . The log file size will increase after the session ends.

Further information

For more details, view the manual pages with man script or script -h.