In zsh how do you bind Ctrl+backspace to delete the previous word?

Question

I'm trying to bind the command usualy binded to ^W with ctrl+backspace.

I have two problem here, one for each parameter of the bindkey command:

• what is string to mean the ctrl+backspace
• what is the command to delete the previous word

Leek

While some control key combinations have straightforward ASCII equivalents (Control-H sending ASCII 0x08, for example), control-backspace does not. Your terminal emulator must be configured to generate a string, much like it does for a function key or arrow key. – Mere

Answer 1

One may use bindkey '^H' backward-kill-word.

Note that, on old versions of GNOME terminal, it won't work; see How do I get Ctrl-Backspace to delete a word in vim within gnome-terminal? and Bug 420039 - VTE doesn't distinguish between backspace and control-backspace.
As reported by thorbjornwolf in his comment, commit 23c7cd0f fixed it.

Leek

The related question's accepted answer was updated on 2015-11-09: The gnome terminal problem seems to be fixed. – Hallah

Then whats the keybinding for ctrl+H ? – Orvie

how to specify to delete everything (what i typed before hitting enter)? – Triboluminescence

Try ^U for everything before the cursor on the current line, ^K for what comes after. – Leek

Answer 2

As I pointed out here there is a chance that the keystrokes are different in some systems.

If the output of showkey -a is:

• Ctrl+Backspace is ^?

then you should add the following line in your ~/.zshrc file:

bindkey '^?' backward-kill-word

Impulsion

showkey -a is extremely useful! – Killerdiller