Linux: Bash Shell and Scripts

Master Bash scripting to automate Linux tasks and streamline workflows

Duration 2h 45m Rating (4.6) Price Included with subscription on LinkedIn Learning
Created by Kevin Dankwardt
Platform: LinkedIn Learning Topic: Operating Systems Skills: Shell Scripting

This course teaches practical Bash shell scripting for Linux users, system administrators, and developers, covering core shell concepts, variables and control structures, and text‑processing utilities such as sed and AWK.

Through hands‑on examples and scripting challenges, learners practice writing, debugging, and automating shell scripts while exploring advanced topics like coprocesses, traps, and argument parsing. The curriculum emphasizes applied skills for automation, reliable text manipulation, and routine systems administration tasks that can be integrated into daily workflows.

At a Glance

Linux: Bash Shell and Scripts is an online course that teaches practical Bash scripting for Linux users, system administrators, and developers.

Kevin Dankwardt leads hands-on lessons that cover the shell environment, variables and control structures, text processing with sed and AWK, and advanced topics such as coprocesses and debugging.

Level Intermediate
Rating 4.6 out of 5
Duration 2+ hours
Languages English
Certificate Certificate of Completion
Access Access for as long as your subscription is active
Course includes
  • Video lessons
  • 1 exercise file
  • 4 quizzes
  • Mobile access and downloadable content
Price Included with LinkedIn Learning subscription (monthly or annual plans)

What This Course Teaches

The course frames its aims as practical, job-relevant competencies you can apply to Linux administration and scripting tasks.

By course end you should be able to write, debug, and run Bash scripts that automate workflows, manipulate text data, and handle real-world input and errors.

Script Authoring
Write and execute Bash scripts with proper shebangs and file permissions.
Shell Environment
Explain Bash startup behavior and configure the environment using sourcing and aliases.
Variables & Control
Apply local and exported variables, loops, and conditional statements to control script flow.
Functions & Scope
Implement functions with correct return/exit semantics and manage local scope inside scripts.
Text Processing
Use sed and AWK to parse, transform, and extract data from text files programmatically.
I/O & Redirection
Work with file descriptors, redirection, pipes, and here-documents to manage script input and output.
Debugging & Signals
Debug scripts using -x/-u options and implement traps to handle signals and cleanup.
Advanced Utilities
Use coproc, eval, and getopt to manage background processes and complex argument parsing.
Parameter Expansion
Manipulate positional parameters and use parameter expansion operators to handle variable data safely.

How the Course Is Structured

The course is arranged as a compact set of topical sections that bundle short lessons and practical challenges into focused modules.

It is presented as six main sections and runs for about 2 hours and 45 minutes in total.

Curriculum overview

01Introduction

Course orientation covering the welcome, prerequisites, and how to use the downloadable exercise files.

02Intro to Bash Scripting

Introduces Bash documentation, shebangs and permissions, startup behavior, sourcing and aliasing, and basic commands like echo.

  • Challenge: Scripts with exported variables, sourcing, and echo
  • Solution: Scripts with exported variables, sourcing, and echo
03Variables, Control Structures, and Arithmetic

Covers typeset/declare, looping with for/while, reading input, defining functions, I/O redirection, and control-flow constructs including case and if tests.

  • Challenge: Using local variables in functions, loops, and arithmetic
  • Solution: Using local variables in functions, loops, and arithmetic
04Using Filters and Parameter Expansion

Teaches defining filters and using utilities like head, tail, and wc, plus sed and AWK and positional parameter operations.

  • Challenge: Looping, special variable operators, sed, and AWK
  • Solution: Looping, special variable operators, sed, and AWK
05Advanced Bash

Explores advanced topics such as the coproc command, debugging flags, signal traps, and utilities like eval and getopt through practical examples.

  • Challenge: Debugging scripts using trap, eval, getopt, and coproc
  • Solution: Debugging scripts using trap, eval, getopt, and coproc
06Conclusion

Final wrap-up with next steps and recommendations for continued learning.

Audience & Requirements

The course targets Linux users, system administrators, and software developers seeking practical Bash scripting skills for automation and text processing.

It is best suited to learners with basic command-line familiarity who want to build measurable scripting competencies for systems administration and automation.

Who It’s For
  • Linux system administrators automating maintenance and monitoring tasks.
  • Developers who need to script build, deployment, or tooling workflows.
  • IT operators preparing to improve operational efficiency or certification-relevant skills.
  • Power users who want to automate repetitive shell tasks and data processing.
What You’ll Need
  • Basic familiarity with the command line and common Unix utilities.
  • Access to a Unix-like shell (Linux or macOS) or Windows with WSL for running scripts.
  • A plain-text editor for writing scripts (examples: Vim, Nano, or VS Code).
  • Comfort with intermediate-level topics is assumed by the course difficulty level.

Final Verdict

This compact, hands‑on Bash course is a practical, time‑efficient choice for Linux users, system administrators, and developers who need to automate tasks and build reliable shell scripts.

Given its strong rating, visible learner engagement, and the availability of a shareable certificate through the platform’s subscription access, it offers solid value for anyone who already subscribes or needs targeted upskilling in shell scripting. Complete beginners may prefer an introductory shell course first, but intermediate learners should find immediate, applicable returns from the curriculum.

Course Details

Platform LinkedIn Learning
Rating (4.6)
Duration 2h 45m
Level Intermediate
Language English
Price Included with subscription
View on LinkedIn Learning