Scripting Tutorial for Bash 4.0
The "Advanced Bash Scripting Guide" version 6 has been reworked to incorporate the new features of Bash 4.0.
The Advanced Bash Scripting Guide written by Mendel Cooper encompasses 361 code examples and would make a 960-page printed book. Cooper describes the guide not only as an "in-depth exploration of the art of shell scripting" but an introduction to general programming concepts such as recursion.
The new version 6.0.05 of the document demonstrates among other things the introduction of associative arrays that Bash 4.0 announced the end of February. As an example of their use Cooper provides a simple address database. He also goes into the expanded syntax for the case construct, enabling parallel processes through the coproc built-in, and use of the mapfile built-in to load an array with contents of a text file.
In an editorial comment at the end of the Bash version 4 chapter, Cooper nevertheless asks the question whether so many new features are really necessary: "Whatever happened to the lean and mean Bash we have come to know and love?" His suggestion for more "essential" features would include for-each loops and multi-dimensional arrays.
The document is included among the Linux Documentation Project Guides as text, HTML, PDF, PS and PDB. The author put it under Open Publication License with some additional conditions.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
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
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.
-
Gnome Working on Test Center App to Make Testing Easier
It's now possible to test experimental features on the Gnome desktop without worrying that you'll break things.
-
New Vulnerability Discovered in Linux Kernel
Hiding out for nearly 15 years, the Ghostlock vulnerability allows a standard logged-in user to gain root privileges.
-
New Linux Flaw Lets Attackers Escape VMs
A 16-year-old vulnerability allows an attacker to escape a virtual machine, gain access to the host, and execute malicious code.
-
Hannah Montana Linux Is Back!
Developer Noah Cagle decided the world needed the once obscure but beloved Linux distribution and gave it a decidedly pink refresh.