Free course

Shell Scripting and Automation Course

Turn shell commands into dependable Bash programs with safe quoting, structured control flow, temporary files, logging, locks, and tests.

5 modules · 25 lessons · No signup

Prerequisites: Shell Commands

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What you'll learn

Write and test maintainable scripts that validate input, preserve data, report useful failures, and run safely without supervision.

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Course contents

  1. Script foundations

    Create executable scripts, quote values, read arguments, and make exit status meaningful.

    1. ✓ Create an executable script
    2. ✓ Use variables and quoting
    3. ✓ Read positional arguments
    4. ✓ Return a useful exit status
    5. ✓ Check your understanding: script foundations

  2. Control and functions

    Use strict checks, conditions, loops, case matching, and small reusable functions.

    1. ✓ Enable safer failure behavior
    2. ✓ Branch with if and case
    3. ✓ Loop over arguments and files
    4. ✓ Write small functions
    5. ✓ Check your understanding: control and functions

  3. Files and data

    Manage temporary files, read lines, find files safely, and process JSON without fragile text parsing.

    1. ✓ Create and clean temporary files
    2. ✓ Read a file line by line
    3. ✓ Find files with null delimiters
    4. ✓ Process JSON with jq
    5. ✓ Check your understanding: files and data

  4. Reliable automation

    Handle configuration, secrets, logs, retries, locking, and scheduled non-interactive execution.

    1. ✓ Load configuration deliberately
    2. ✓ Write structured log lines
    3. ✓ Retry with a budget
    4. ✓ Prevent overlapping runs
    5. ✓ Check your understanding: reliable automation

  5. Automation projects

    Build a backup wrapper, health checker, deployment gate, and tested maintainable script.

    1. ✓ Build a backup wrapper
    2. ✓ Build a health checker
    3. ✓ Build a deployment gate
    4. ✓ Test and review the script
    5. ✓ Check your understanding: automation projects