Learning Bash Scripting (2013)

A fast-paced introduction to Bash script, a popular shell scripting language on Mac OS X and Linux.

Bash, or the Bourne Again Shell, is a widely popular command-line interpreter for administration and programming tasks. It's also the default option on Mac OS X and Linux. But Bash is different than most scripting languages. That's why Scott Simpson spends some time in this course running you through the syntax—introducing variables, numbers, and control structures—so you can start writing scripts right away. He shows you how to wrap up multiline operations in one file, implement flow control, and interact with users to get input. Plus, he offers challenges along the way that allow you to put what you've learned to the test.

Introduction

• Welcome
• What you need to know before continuing
• Using the exercise files

1. Working with the Command Line

• What's Bash?
• Reviewing common Bash commands
• Tilde and brace expansion
• Changing where things go with pipes and redirection
• Manipulating output with grep, awk, and cut
• Understanding Bash script syntax
• Creating a basic Bash script

2. Building Bash Scripts

• Displaying text with echo
• Working with variables
• Command substitution
• Working with numbers
• Comparing values
• Working with strings
• Coloring and styling text
• Exploring some handy helpers: date and printf
• Working with arrays
• Reading and writing text files
• Using here documents
• Challenge: Make a script that generates a system report
• Solution: Make a script that generates a system report

3. Control Structures

• Testing truth conditions with the if keyword
• Working with while and until loops
• Introducing for loops
• Selecting behavior using case
• Using functions

4. Interacting with the User

• Working with arguments
• Working with flags
• Getting input during execution
• Ensuring a response
• Challenge: Make a script that uses input
• Solution: Make a script that uses input

Conclusion

• Next steps