Bash (Scripting) - Understanding script interpreter
by
Jeremy Canfield |
Updated: March 08 2020
| Bash (Scripting) articles
When viewing or creating a script, the very first line of the script will be the interpreter the script should use. In this example, the BASH interpreter is being used.
#!/bin/bash
The interpreter tells Linux what language the script was written in so that the appropriate interpreter can be used when running the script. Imagine the script interpreter like a translator. You've a bunch of people speaking different languages (English, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian). Fortunately, the interpreter is really smart and understands each language.
Technically speaking, the #! characters are the shebang.
Following are some popular script interpreters.
- #!/bin/sh = Legacy shell
- #!/bin/bash = Bourne again shell
- #!/bin/csh = C shell
- #!/bin/ksh = Korn shell
- #!/usr/bin/perl = Perl (.pl)
- #!/usr/bin/python = Python (.py)
Each script interpreter has its own unique syntax.
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