Quote:In Ubuntu and other Unix-like operating systems, the .bashrc and .profile files are used to customize the behavior and environment settings for the command-line interface (CLI) and shell sessions. These files are located in a user's home directory (~) and are executed when you start a new terminal session or log in to the system. Each of these files serves a specific purpose:

• .bashrc:
  The .bashrc file is a script that is executed whenever you start a new interactive Bash shell session. It's typically used to set up user-specific environment variables, aliases, functions, and customizations that are relevant to the Bash shell. These settings make your shell experience more convenient and efficient.
  
  For example, you might use the .bashrc file to define aliases for frequently used commands, set environment variables such as PATH, configure your prompt's appearance, and more.
  
• .profile:
  The .profile file is also a script that is executed when you log in to the system, regardless of the shell you're using (not limited to just Bash). It's meant for more general environment setup that applies to all types of shell sessions.
  
  Unlike .bashrc, which is specific to the Bash shell, .profile is used to set environment variables and perform initial setup that is not shell-dependent. This makes it suitable for configuration that needs to be set globally for all shell sessions.
  
  Common use cases for the .profile file include setting the PATH variable to include directories where your custom scripts or programs are located, configuring language and locale settings, and initializing variables needed by various applications.
  

It's important to note that when you modify either the .bashrc or .profile file, the changes will only take effect for new shell sessions or login sessions. Existing sessions won't automatically apply the changes unless you explicitly reload the file or start a new session.

In summary, .bashrc is specific to the Bash shell and is used for customizing the behavior of Bash shell sessions, while .profile is more general and is executed upon login to set up environment variables and other system-wide settings for various shell types.