Current status of the Oil shell
Slippery Shell
© Photo by Javardh on Unsplash
With its innovative scripting language, Oil, the Bash-compatible Oil shell aims to make life easier for script developers.
Developer Andy Chu is currently working on two construction sites at the same time: the Oil shell (OSH) and the Oil language. His work on OSH is already quite advanced, but, as of version 0.6.pre20, it only supports a subset of the Bash constructs. The Oil language, on the other hand, is still a work in progress.
OSH
A shell is a small program that uses text commands to control the system. Many shells also let you write scripts to automate processes. One of the best known and most common shells is the Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) [1]. The Oil shell is a Unix shell that is compatible with Bash.
According to Chu, OSH is already capable of processing the abuild shell script, which is over 2,500 lines long and builds the packages for the Alpine Linux distribution. OSH can also set up an Ubuntu base system via debootstrap and chroot into it.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.