What is shell scripting?

Shell scripting refers to a computer program that runs on the UNIX shell command-line interpreter. Plainly put, a shell script is a file that contains a series of commands and shell statements. Shell scripting helps in repetitive tasks. If you have to do a lot of similar programming tasks, it's more efficient to use shell scripting. The shell script itself, the file, is made up of ASCII text, better known as plain text. Shell scripting is widely used in system administration tasks like evaluating system logs, disk backups, and installation scripts for complex programming jobs. It's also used for printing text commands, file manipulation, and overall program execution.

Why is shell scripting important to learn?

Shell scripting is important to learn because it can help with working in Linux/Unix computer environments. It's a form of scripting that's relatively easy to learn. For coders, it's easy to read and maintain for computer tasks. You can get work completed quickly by setting up shell scripting to handle computer operations. Even though drag and drop interfaces are growing in programming operations, shell scripting is still used widely to customize the direction of a program and how it should run right from the start. Plus, shell scripting can help you learn what goes on in the code for repetitive automated tasks.

What career opportunities can arise from learning shell scripting?

There are multiple, exciting career opportunities ahead for you in the computer service industry once you learn shell scripting. The types of careers can range from programmer, software analyst, and systems administrator, to higher-paying roles as a Unix developer, Linux programmer, and similar roles. You can find additional career opportunities in industries from retail to manufacturing, aerospace to healthcare, in key software positions like backend developer, app development using shell scripting, and programming roles connected to languages like Python or Bash Shell.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn shell scripting?

Taking online courses on Coursera can help you build your fundamental understanding of process automation, full-stack development, using variables in your scripts, scripting the responses for the same set of actions for data loops, and much more. Your study of shell scripting can help you learn how to review some of the most commonly used Linux commands, and you can also learn to create Bash and Unix scripts to automate laborious, repetitive tasks. The courses may touch on other aspects like application automation, package installation, system administration tasks, data backup, and overall system-level scripts as well.

What are the benefits of taking an online Shell Scripting course?

Online Shell Scripting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Shell Scripting skills. Choose from a wide range of Shell Scripting courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Shell Scripting courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Shell Scripting, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Shell Scripting Courses - Learn Shell Scripting Online

Explore the Shell Scripting Course Catalog

Johns Hopkins University
HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers
Skills you'll gain: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML and CSS, Javascript, Ajax, Responsive Web Design, Bootstrap (Front-End Framework), Front-End Web Development, Web Design, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Web Design and Development, JSON, Web Applications, Web Development, Scripting, Usability, Cross Platform Development, Browser Compatibility, Event-Driven Programming, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Rice University
Python Programming Essentials
Skills you'll gain: Programming Principles, Python Programming, Development Environment, Computer Programming, Integrated Development Environments, Debugging
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
University of California, Santa Cruz
C, Go, and C++: A Comprehensive Introduction to Programming
Skills you'll gain: C++ (Programming Language), Go (Programming Language), Debugging, C (Programming Language), Data Structures, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Software Design Patterns, Object Oriented Design, Code Review, Programming Principles, Computer Programming, Unit Testing, Algorithms, Command-Line Interface, Program Development, Integrated Development Environments, Software Testing, Computer Science, Computational Thinking, Graph Theory
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
9.4K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Michigan
Web Applications for Everybody
Skills you'll gain: Database Design, SQL, MySQL, PHP (Scripting Language), Relational Databases, JSON, jQuery, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Javascript and jQuery, Ajax, Databases, Data Modeling, Database Application, Database Development, Debugging, Web Applications, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Web Development, Authentications, Web Development Tools
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
9.2K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
IBM
IBM Data Architecture
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Security, Linux Commands, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Governance, MySQL, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
6.5K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Introducción a Data Science: Programación Estadística con R
Skills you'll gain: R Programming, Statistical Programming, Ggplot2, Data Manipulation, Simulations, Statistical Software, Data Science, Data Visualization, Graphing, Programming Principles, Data Import/Export, Scripting, Data Structures, Software Installation, Package and Software Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
8.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Colorado Boulder
Introduction to Embedded Systems Software and Development Environments
Skills you'll gain: Software Configuration Management, Embedded Software, Embedded Systems, Git (Version Control System), Version Control, System Programming, Build Tools, Software Development Tools, C (Programming Language), Development Environment, Software Design, Hardware Architecture, Debugging, Command-Line Interface
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
638 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Colorado System
Introduction to C# Programming and Unity
Skills you'll gain: Unity Engine, Debugging, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Video Game Development, C# (Programming Language), Game Design, Computer Programming, Integrated Development Environments, Data Storage, User Interface (UI), Scripting
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.4K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Duke University
Introductory C Programming
Skills you'll gain: Debugging, Maintainability, Programming Principles, Algorithms, Software Testing, Program Development, C (Programming Language), Pseudocode, Computational Thinking, Software Engineering, Simulations, Test Case, System Programming, Data Structures, Software Development, Computer Programming, Command-Line Interface, Operating Systems, Development Environment, User Interface (UI)
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7.3K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado System
C# Programming for Unity Game Development
Skills you'll gain: Unity Engine, Debugging, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Video Game Development, C# (Programming Language), Game Design, Software Design Patterns, Computer Programming, Event-Driven Programming, Data Structures, Integrated Development Environments, Data Storage, Application Development, Software Design, Program Development, UI Components, Cross Platform Development, Scripting, Data Import/Export, Development Environment
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
2.7K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Michigan
Python Basics
Skills you'll gain: Debugging, Programming Principles, Python Programming, Data Structures, Scripting Languages, Computer Programming, Pseudocode, Computer Graphics
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
18K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
LearnQuest
Python Scripting for DevOps
Skills you'll gain: Containerization, Package and Software Management, Unified Modeling Language, Software Testing, Docker (Software), Unit Testing, Plot (Graphics), Development Testing, CI/CD, Test Automation, Pandas (Python Package), Scripting, Data Modeling, NumPy, Programming Principles, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Data Structures, Computer Programming, Python Programming, Command-Line Interface
4
Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
201 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months