Bash Scripting on Linux (The Complete Guide) Class 01 - Course Introduction

Summary

Welcome to the Bash scripting course on Learn Linux TV, where you'll learn to automate repetitive tasks and harness the power of bash, a versatile command interpreter akin to a programming language. Instructor Jay, with over 20 years of Linux experience, guides you through foundational concepts to advanced scripting, covering variables, loops, conditionals, and more. Each episode is available for a comprehensive learning experience, aiming to turn you into a proficient bash scripter.

Takeaways

• 📝 The course is designed to teach everything needed to write bash scripts for Linux administrators and DevOps professionals.
• 🔄 Bash scripting automates the execution of repeated commands, saving time and effort.
• 🛠 Bash offers advanced features like if statements, while loops, and variables, making it almost a programming language.
• 📚 The instructor, Jay, has over two decades of experience with Linux and scripting, and is the owner of Learn Linux TV.
• 📘 Jay has written books, including 'Mastering Ubuntu Server', which can be found at www.ubuntuserverbook.com.
• 🎥 The entire series of videos is available on YouTube for viewers to learn at their own pace.
• 🔢 The course will cover foundational concepts like variables and math functions in bash, which are essential for scripting.
• 🔐 The course will also delve into conditional statements, exit codes, loops, and other scripting constructs.
• 📁 The importance of knowing where to save scripts on the Linux file system will be discussed to ensure easy access and organization.
• 🔁 The course will explore data streams and functions to control data flow and script behavior.
• 🗓️ Scheduling jobs and understanding arguments for scripts will be covered to enhance script utility and flexibility.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of writing bash scripts according to the video?

The main purpose of writing bash scripts is to automate the execution of a series of commands that are run repeatedly, thus saving time and effort for Linux administrators or DevOps professionals.

Why might someone consider bash scripting similar to a programming language?

Bash scripting might be considered similar to a programming language because it offers features like if statements, while loops, and the ability to use variables, which are common in programming languages.

What does the instructor claim about the episodes of the bash scripting course?

The instructor claims that every single episode of the bash scripting course is already uploaded on YouTube, allowing viewers to watch them all at once or take their time learning the concepts.

What is Jay's professional background, and how does it relate to the course?

Jay is the owner of Learn Linux TV, an education company specializing in Linux. He has over two decades of experience with Linux and has held various positions in system administration, network administration, DevOps management, and other roles. His extensive background in Linux makes him well-suited to teach the course.

What is the significance of the 'hello world' script in the context of the course?

The 'hello world' script is significant as it is traditionally the first example taught in programming and scripting languages, and the course follows this tradition by starting with it.

Why are variables covered early in the course?

Variables are covered early in the course because they are a foundational concept in scripting, and they will be used in many of the lessons throughout the course.

What is the role of exit codes in bash scripting?

Exit codes in bash scripting indicate whether a command or script was successful. They help administrators understand the result of a script and take appropriate action based on that result.

What is the purpose of while loops in the course?

While loops are used in the course to teach how to write scripts that monitor for a file or other criteria to decide whether the script should continue running or exit, providing control over script execution.

What does the update script example in the course demonstrate?

The update script example demonstrates how to keep servers up to date and serves as a recurring example in several videos throughout the course.

What is the focus of the class on scheduling jobs?

The focus of the class on scheduling jobs is to teach how to schedule tasks to run at specific times or under certain conditions, which is a two-part class in the course.

What additional resources does the instructor offer for further learning?

The instructor offers his latest book, 'Mastering Ubuntu Server', as an additional resource for further learning, which can be found at www.ubuntuserverbook.com or by searching for the book on Amazon.

What are the technical requirements to follow along with the course?

The technical requirements to follow along with the course include having a computer with a terminal and access to a Linux server or a Linux installation, which can be a virtual machine, a spare server, or even a personal computer running Linux.