setting a bash prompt

\d    date
\h    hostname (up to .)
\H    hostname (full)
\n    newline
\r    carriage return
\s    shell name
\t    the time
\u    username
\v    version of bash
\w    working directory (path)
\W    working directory (base)
\$    # for root, $ for normal user
\\    backslash
\[    ansi color code

example: user @ host: path

PS1=\u@\h:\w\$

.bashrc example: colored prompt if colors are available

if [ "$color_prompt" = yes ]; then
    PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;32m\]\u\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ '
else
    PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\u@\h:\w\$ '
fi