BASH Guide

BASH Guide contains everything you need to know about Bash scripting, whether you are diving in for the first time, or are a seasoned pro.

No matter if you use Linux, Unix, Mac, Cygwin on Windows, or are preparing to run Bash natively on Windows 10, shells, scripting, automation, and command-line problem solving is a fact of life. Though BASH Guide is focused on the Bourne-again shell (BASH), the concepts presented can be applied to virtually any shell, including Bourne (sh), Korn (ksc), C (csh), Z (zsh), and the tee-shell (tsch).

For those just beginning, by the end of this book you will be able to write shell scripts and automate tasks with ease. If you are transitioning from another programming language, this guide will build on your existing knowledge and turn you into an expert in no time. For those with experience in Bash scripting, the latter chapters will hone your expertise while presenting advanced concepts such as file descriptor duplication, process substitution, traps, and more.

With chapters covering everything from what a shell is (and isn’t) to how to trap and process signals, the full gamut of Bash scripting is covered. With both a quick reference and detailed index included at the end, the BASH Guide ensures all the commands, concepts, and syntax you learned are available at a moment’s notice.

BASH Guide’s chapters, each of which contains its own host of sections, makes certain that no topic is left behind.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: History
Chapter 2: Editors
Chapter 3: The Basics
Chapter 4: Terminology
Chapter 5: Variables
Chapter 6: Arrays
Chapter 7: Special Characters
Chapter 8: Globs
Chapter 9: Parameters
Chapter 10: Command Substitution
Chapter 11: Conditional Blocks
Chapter 12: Conditional Loops
Chapter 13: Input & Output
Chapter 14: Functions
Chapter 15: Traps