UNIX® Shells by Example, Third Edition

1.5. Executing Commands from Scripts

When the shell is used as a programming language, commands and shell control constructs are typed in an editor and saved to a file, called a script. The lines from the file are read and executed one at a time by the shell. These programs are interpreted, not compiled. Compiled programs are converted into machine language before they are executed. Therefore, shell programs are usually slower than binary executables, but they are easier to write and are used mainly for automating simple tasks. Shell programs can also be written interactively at the command line, and for very simple tasks, this is the quickest way. However, for more complex scripting, it is easier to write scripts in an editor (unless you are ...