Bash in easy steps

Book excerpt: The "Bourne Again SHell" (Bash) is a powerful command-line shell interface that lets you communicate directly with the kernel at the heart of a computer’s operating system for total control. Bash is the default shell for Unix-based operating systems Linux, Mac OS X, and Raspbian on Raspberry Pi devices, and is also available to Windows users on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) . This book will show you how to use the Bash command-line interface and how to employ Bash's programming abilities. Complete examples illustrate each aspect with colorized source code and full-color screenshots depict the actual output. Bash in easy steps begins by demonstrating Bash commands for system navigation and file manipulation so you will quickly become familiar with the command-line interface. It explains all the BASH basics before moving on to describe advanced features such as command history, command-line editing, and environment customization. The book then introduces Bash programming with examples of flow control, command switches, input/output, and debugging - allowing you to create your own executable programs by copying the examples. Bash in easy steps has an easy-to-follow style that will appeal to: · Users who are completely new to Unix-based operating systems · Casual users who wish to expand their knowledge of their computer system · Those who would like to learn coding skills by writing useful shell scripts · The student who is studying programming at school or college · Those seeking a career in computing and need a fundamental understanding of the BASH interpreter on Unix-based operating systems Table of Contents: Getting Started Managing Files Handling Text Editing Commands Customizing Environment Controlling Behavior Performing Operations Directing Flow Employing Functions Handy Reference