Welcome to the third edition of Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible. Like all books in the Bible series, you can expect to find both hands-on tutorials and real-world information, as well as reference and background information that provide a context for what you are learning. This book is a fairly comprehensive resource on the Linux command line and shell commands. By the time you have completed Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible, you will be well prepared to write your own shell scripts that can automate practically any task on your Linux system.
If you're a system administrator in a Linux environment, you'll benefit greatly by knowing how to write shell scripts. The book doesn't walk you through the process of setting up a Linux system, but after you have it running, you'll want to start automating some of the routine administrative tasks. That's where shell scripting comes in, and that's where this book helps you out. This book demonstrates how to automate any administrative task using shell scripts, from monitoring system statistics and data files to generating reports for your boss.
If you're a home Linux enthusiast, you'll also benefit from Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible. Nowadays, it's easy to get lost in the graphical world of pre-built widgets. Most desktop Linux distributions try their best to hide the Linux system from the typical user. However, sometimes you must know what's going on under the hood. This book shows you how to access the Linux command line prompt and what to do when you get there. Often, performing simple tasks, such as file management, can be done more quickly from the command line than from a fancy graphical interface. You can use a wealth of commands from the command line, and this book shows you how to use them.
This book leads you through the basics of the Linux command line and into more complicated topics, such as creating your own shell scripts. The book is divided into four parts, each one building on the previous parts.
Part I assumes that you either have a Linux system running or are looking into getting a Linux system. Chapter 1, “Starting with Linux Shells,” describes the parts of a total Linux system and shows how the shell fits in. After describing the basics of the Linux system, this part continues with the following:
In Part II, you begin writing shell scripts. As you go through the chapters, you'll do the following:
Part III dives into more advanced areas of shell script programming, including these things:
The last section of the book, Part IV, demonstrates how to use shell scripts in real-world environments. In this part, you will learn these things:
You will find many different organizational and typographical features throughout this book designed to help you get the most of the information.
You can obtain the book's code files at www.wiley.com/go/linuxcommandline.
Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible doesn't focus on any specific Linux distribution, so you can follow along in the book using any Linux system you have available. The bulk of the book references the bash shell, which is the default shell for most Linux systems.
After you've finished reading Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible, you're well on your way to incorporating Linux commands in your daily Linux work. In the ever-changing world of Linux, it's always a good idea to stay in touch with new developments. Often, Linux distributions change, adding new features and removing older ones. To keep your knowledge of Linux fresh, always stay well-informed. Find a good Linux forum site and monitor what's happening in the Linux world. Many popular Linux news sites, such as Slashdot and Distrowatch, provide up-to-the-minute information about new advances in Linux.