Learn Bash scripting by building and running small programs from your first Hello, World! script onward. Across 18 hands-on labs, you will progress through variables, arguments, arrays, arithmetic, strings, decisions, loops, functions, special variables, signal handling, and file tests.
Thirteen guided labs introduce each concept step by step, while five story-based challenges ask you to combine what you have learned in a treasure decoder, cargo manifest, weather adviser, calculator, and file-system explorer. Automated checks help you verify your scripts as you work.
What You Will Learn
- Create Bash script files, add a shebang, make them executable, and run them from the terminal
- Store and expand shell variables, use command substitution, perform arithmetic, and read environment variables
- Accept positional arguments and user input, count arguments, and distinguish special variables such as
$?,$$,$@, and$* - Create indexed arrays, access their elements and lengths, and compare array contents with loops and conditions
- Measure string length, find character positions, extract substrings, and replace text in Bash
- Build numeric and string decisions with
if,elif, logical operators, and comparison expressions - Repeat and control work with
for,while, anduntilloops plusbreakandcontinue - Define functions, work with parameters, return status and scope, handle signals with
trap, and test file types and permissions
Who This Course Is For
This course is for programming beginners, Linux newcomers, developers, and technical learners who want a structured introduction to writing Bash scripts. It is a good fit if you have used a computer but have little or no previous scripting experience.
Prerequisites: No programming or Bash experience is required. Basic familiarity with files and folders is helpful, and the first lab introduces the WebIDE and terminal workflow used throughout the course.
Learning environment: All 18 labs run in an Ubuntu 22.04 WebIDE with a code editor and integrated terminal. The course includes 13 guided labs and five challenges, with 74 task steps and automated checks; each challenge also provides a reference solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this course teach Bash specifically or portable POSIX shell scripting?
It teaches Bash. Several topics, including indexed arrays, Bash parameter expansion, special variables, and trap examples, use Bash syntax and behavior. The course does not promise that every script will run unchanged in sh or other shells.
Is this suitable for someone who has never written a script?
Yes. The course begins with creating, editing, making executable, and running a simple script before introducing data and control flow. The guided labs provide the command and code context needed for a first scripting course.
How do the guided labs and challenges differ?
The 13 guided labs explain and practice concepts step by step. The five challenges state a scenario and requirements so you can assemble a solution more independently, then use automated checks and a reference solution for feedback.
Will this course teach general Linux system administration?
No. You will use basic terminal and file commands while writing scripts, but the focus is Bash programming. Topics such as package management, services, networking, storage administration, and system security are outside this course.
