Bash (Unix shell)

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Unix shell and command language



Bash (Bourne Again SHell) is a Unix shell and command language written by Brian Fox for the GNU Project as a free software replacement for the Bourne shell. First released in 1989, it has been used widely as the default login shell for most Linux distributions and macOS.

History[edit | edit source]

Bash was developed as part of the GNU Project, which aimed to create a free software operating system. It was intended to be a free replacement for the Bourne shell (sh), which was the original Unix shell written by Stephen Bourne. The name "Bash" is a recursive acronym for "Bourne Again SHell," a play on words that signifies its goal of improving upon the Bourne shell.

Features[edit | edit source]

Bash incorporates features from the Bourne shell as well as the C shell (csh) and the KornShell (ksh). Some of its notable features include:

  • Command-line editing
  • Unlimited command history
  • Job control
  • Shell functions and aliases
  • Indexed arrays of unlimited size
  • Integer arithmetic in any base from two to sixty-four

Scripting[edit | edit source]

Bash is also a powerful scripting language, allowing users to write scripts to automate tasks. Bash scripts can include control structures such as loops and conditionals, functions, and variables. They are commonly used for system administration tasks, such as backups and file management.

Usage[edit | edit source]

Bash is the default shell on most Linux distributions and is also available on macOS. It can be installed on other Unix-like systems and even on Microsoft Windows through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Related Pages[edit | edit source]

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


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