Intro to Linux Shell Scripting (Free course)

Get up to speed with Linux shell scripting quickly

Created byJason Cannon

Last updated 6/2026

English

What you'll learn

After you complete this course you will understand the basics of writing a shell script.

Course content

1 section • 6 lectures • 44m total length

Writing Your First Shell Script8:44
In this lesson you will learn how to:
Write your first bash shell script.
Name your shell scripts.
Set the proper Linux file permissions on your shell script.
Shell Builtin Commands9:23
In this lesson you will learn:
What a shebang is and the errors you can run into if you don't use one.
What shell builtins are, how to determine what is a builtin and not, and when to use them.
Using variables in your scripts.
Variables, Comments, and Capitalization10:06
In this lesson you will learn:
The rules for naming variables.
When capitalization is important.
How to use comments and blank lines to make your scripts easy to read and understand.
Writing Long and Complicated Scripts4:12
In this lesson you'll learn how to pseudocode. It’s like creating an outline of your script before you start scripting. You'll learn how to write long or complicated scripts by simply breaking them down into easy-to-script pieces.
Making Decisions in Your Scripts and Using Builtin Shell Variables.9:52
In this lesson you will learn how to control the execution of your scripts by using if statements. You will also learn about one of the many shell built-in variables.
Bonus Lecture2:39
The contents of this lecture are so secret I'm not even allowed to describe it! Open, if you dare.

Requirements

Command line access to a Linux system.

Description

In this mini-course, you'll learn the essentials of writing your own Linux shell scripts, including:

How to avoid the most common mistakes made by inexperienced shell scripters.
Understanding and using best practices and standard conventions. (If you don't follow these guidelines you'll look like a rank amateur.)
A simple technique that can make amazingly complex scripts easy to write.

I've used shell scripts to save myself countless hours of tedious work. More importantly, having the ability to write shell scripts has helped me enormously in my career.

Not only did I get to take on some very interesting projects because I had the ability to shell script, I was also able to jump right to the front of the line when it came time for promotions.

I want that same thing for you, too!

Even if you're not interested in furthering your career, you can write shell scripts that organize your vacation photos, track your stock portfolio, and more...

I can't wait to see what shell scripts you create!

Jason

Who this course is for:

Anyone who is interested in getting started with Linux shell scripting and bash programming.