Having a solid programming foundation is obviously one staple of a good software engineer. Whether it’s interpreted languages like Python or compiled languages like C++, knowing at least one like the back of your hand is important. However, this is only one aspect of being a truly well-rounded engineer. All those fundamentals go out the window if when you reach the shell, you flounder.
Knowing how to be nimble in Bash will get you places that a full-fledged language won’t. Sometimes you don’t actually need to pop into a more robust language. You can accomplish what you need quicker, easier and without any added dependency by just using the shell.
In this post, we’ll examine some fantastically useful Bash commands. These commands save you from writing more code than you really need. The next time you’re in a pinch, try these.