Learning Linux Shell Scripting - Second Edition

Working in the shell

Let's get started by opening the Terminal, and we will familiarize ourselves with the bash shell environment:

1. Open the Linux Terminal and type in:

    $ echo $SHELL
    /bin/bash
  

2. The preceding output in the Terminal says that the current shell is /bin/bash, such as the Bash shell:

    $ bash -version
    GNU bash, version 4.3.48(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
    Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
    License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
    This is free software; you are free to change and redistribute it.
    There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  

Hereafter, we will use the word Shell to signify the Bash shell only. If we intend to use any other shell, then it will be specifically ...