Bash, short for "Bourne Again Shell," is a powerful command-line interface and scripting language used in Unix-like operating systems. It serves as both an interactive shell and a versatile scripting environment.
Bash provides users with a way to interact with the operating system, execute commands, and automate tasks. It's an essential tool for system administrators, developers, and power users alike.
To use Bash, you typically open a terminal or command prompt. The Bash prompt, often represented by a dollar sign ($), indicates that it's ready to accept commands.
$ echo "Hello, World!"
Hello, World!
This command uses the echo
utility to print a message to the screen.
Bash scripts allow you to combine multiple commands and add logic to automate tasks. Scripts typically start with a shebang (#!/bin/bash
) to specify the interpreter.
#!/bin/bash
echo "Welcome to Bash scripting!"
current_date=$(date)
echo "Today's date is: $current_date"
This script demonstrates variable assignment and command substitution, common features in Bash scripting.
To deepen your understanding of Bash, explore these related topics:
By mastering Bash, you'll gain a powerful tool for system interaction and task automation in Unix-like environments.