Shell Scripting — Prerequisites
What You Need Before Starting
Shell scripting isn't a from-zero starting point — it assumes you're already reasonably comfortable using Linux/Unix interactively, and just want to automate what you already do by hand. Make sure you have the items below before jumping into the Fundamentals section.
1. Comfort with the Linux command line (required)
You should already be able to do these without looking anything up:
cd, pwd, ls -la)mkdir, mv, cp, rm)cat, less, head, tail)chmod, chown, and what the rwx bits mean)|) and redirect output (>, >>)If any of these feel unfamiliar, this course's foundational Linux material (or an equivalent basic Linux/command-line course) should come first — shell scripting is "the same commands you already type, but saved and made repeatable," and it's much harder to learn both at once.
2. A real Linux environment to practice in (required)
You need somewhere to actually run and break scripts — reading examples isn't enough. Reasonable options, roughly in order of how quickly you can get started:
docker run -it ubuntu bash gives you a disposable Linux shell in seconds, which is genuinely convenient for testing destructive commands without any real risk3. Basic programming concepts (recommended, not strictly required)
You don't need to already know a "real" programming language, but if you've never programmed at all, having some exposure to these ideas first will make the Fundamentals section click faster instead of feeling like memorization:
If you've written even basic code in Python, JavaScript, or similar, you already have this — the concepts transfer directly, only the syntax changes.
4. A text editor you're comfortable in (required)
Any editor works — VS Code, Vim, Nano, Sublime — but you'll want one with syntax highlighting for shell scripts and, ideally, an integrated terminal so you can edit and immediately run a script without switching windows. If you're editing directly on a remote server rather than locally, basic vim or nano proficiency (enough to write and save a file) is worth having regardless of your editor preference elsewhere.
5. What you do *not* need yet
kubectl and docker commands to show realistic DevOps usage, but you don't need to understand those tools deeply yet; treat those specific lines as "here's what this looks like in practice" rather than something to fully master before continuingQuick self-check
If you can comfortably do this without looking anything up, you're ready to start:
If that command reads naturally rather than needing to be decoded piece by piece, you're ready for the Fundamentals section.