Linux in a Nutshell, Third Edition

Invoking the Shell

The command interpreter for bash can be invoked as follows:

            bash  [options]  [arguments]

bash can execute commands from a terminal (when -i is specified), from a file (when the first argument is an executable script), or from standard input (if no arguments remain or if -s is specified).

Options

Options that appear here with double hyphens also work when entered with single hyphens, but the double-hyphen versions are recommended because they are standard.

-, --

Treat all subsequent strings as arguments, not options.

--dump-po-strings

Same as --dump-strings but uses a special “portable object” format suitable for scripting.

--dump-strings

For execution in non-English locales, dump all strings that bash translates.

-c str

Read commands from string str.

-i

Create an interactive shell (prompt for input).

--help

Print information about which version of bash is installed, plus a list of options.

--login

Behave like a login shell; try to process /etc/profile on startup. Then process ~/.bash_profile, ~/.bash_login, or ~/.profile (searching for each file only if the previous file is not found).

--nobraceexpansion

Disable brace expansion.

--noediting

Disable line editing with arrow and control keys.

--noprofile

Do not process /etc/profile, ~/.bash_profile, ~/.bash_login, or ~/.profile on startup.

--norc

Do not process ~/.bashrc on startup.

-p

Start up as a privileged user; don’t process $HOME/.profile.

--posix

Conform to POSIX standard.

-r

Restrict users to a ...