Pro Bash Programming: Scripting the Linux Shell

by Chris F.A. Johnson

The bash shell is a complete programming language, not merely a glue to combine external Linux commands. By taking full advantage of shell internals, shell programs can perform as snappily as utilities written in C or other compiled languages. And you will see how, without assuming Unix lore, you can write professional bash 4.0 programs through standard programming techniques.

Complete bash coverage Teaches bash as a programming language Helps you master bash 4.0 features
What you’ll learn Use the shell to write new utilities and accomplish most programming tasks. Use shell parameter expansion to replace many external commands, making scripts very fast. Learn to avoid many common mistakes that cause scripts to fail. Learn how bash’s readline and history libraries can save typing when getting user input. Learn to use the new bash 4.0 features. Build shell scripts that get information from the Web.
About the Apress Pro Series

The Apress Pro series books are practical, professional tutorials to keep you on and moving up the professional ladder.

You have gotten the job, now you need to hone your skills in these tough competitive times. The Apress Pro series expands your skills and expertise in exactly the areas you need. Master the content of a Pro book, and you will always be able to get the job done in a professional development project. Written by experts in their field, Pro series books from Apress give you the hard–won solutions to problems you will face in your professional programming career.

Genres: Computer Science, Nonfiction, Programming, Technology, Computers

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2009

Reviews

[Karla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jumps around, advances quickly without adequate explanation, and assumes you already know how to operate in vi and bash. I supplemented this with other books (and a lot of googling) that provided a better grounding in bash. Skip this and look for the O’Reilly series or another alternative.

[A. Gökhan Demir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I studied this book up to the middle of chapter 12, and I have mixed feelings about it. I learned many valuable concepts about Bash. However, starting from chapter 11, it feels like you’re reading the author’s personal script memos. There is still a lot to learn from the scripts in those chapters, but they become confusing very quickly for a student, especially the game scripts. I wish they had moved those chapters to the end, like an appendix or an optional section. Anyway, if you’re interested, go ahead and read it. I had fun, and I especially enjoyed reading the book in the voice of an old-school Linux guru with a long beard (Chris).

[Ietrio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another pointless book that adds nothing to the information available online. I can even say it subtracts information. The best part is the phrasing:

> Both print information to the standard output stream, but printf is much more powerful, and echo has its problems.

> You and I know what constitutes a valid variable name, but do your users?

Anyway, a second star for being honest and not calling a Bash book "Linux shell programming" like others.

[Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting a ton from this book since it's not a reference nor is it very lengthy, so I was happy that several of my blindspots were addressed (in addition to clarifying some tricks and custom functions that are bound to save me time in the long-run). Wish I had read it years ago, but could've done without the chapters on grid games and terminal mouse events.