Operating Systems
Bash
Definition
Bash is a Unix shell and command language written by Brian Fox for the GNU Project as a free software replacement for the Bourne shell. It has been the default login shell for most Linux distributions and for macOS for many years.
Why It Matters
Bash is an incredibly powerful tool for developers and system administrators. It's not just a command interpreter, but also a full-fledged scripting language for automating tasks on Unix-like systems.
Contextual Example
A developer might write a Bash script to automate the process of pulling the latest code from a repository, building the application, and deploying it to a server.
Common Misunderstandings
- While macOS has switched its default shell to Zsh, Bash is still available and widely used.
- Bash is the most common, but there are other shells available, like Zsh and fish, which offer additional features.