Bash Configuration and Usage with David Both

The Bash shell is the default shell for almost every Linux distribution. As the Lazy SysAdmin, understanding and using the available tools to configure the Bash shell can enhance and simplify our command line experience.

In this session you will explore the several Bash configuration files for both global and local configuration. You will see simple experiments to determine the sequence in which the Bash configuration files are executed when the shell is launched. You will explore environment variables and shell variables such as $PATH, $?, $EDITOR, and more and how they contribute to the behavior of the shell itself and the programs that run in a shell.

You will learn:

• The difference between a login shell and a non-login shell. In the interest of clearing up any confusion we will also learn about the nologin shell.
• How the Bash shell is configured
• How to modify the configuration of the Bash shell
• Which Bash configuration scripts are run when it is launched as a login shell and as a non-login shell
• The names and locations of the files used to configure Linux shells at both global and user levels
• Which shell configuration files should not be changed
• How to set shell options
• How to set environment variables from the command line
• How to set environment variables using shell configuration files
• Using aliases
• How to have fun on the Bash com

David Both Bio

David Both is an Open Source Software and GNU/Linux advocate, trainer, writer, and speaker. He has been working with Linux and Open Source Software for more than 25 years and has been working with computers and other Technologies for over 50 years. He is a strong proponent of and evangelist for the “Linux Philosophy for System Administrators.”

He has written articles for magazines including, Linux Magazine, Linux Journal, and OS/2 Magazine back when there was such a thing. His article “Complete Kickstart,” co-authored with a colleague at Cisco, was ranked 9th in the Linux Magazine Top Ten Best System Administration Articles list for 2008. He currently writes prolifically for OpenSource.com. He particularly enjoys learning new things while researching his books and articles, building his own computers, and helping his grandchildren build their computers.

David has published five books with Apress, “The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins,” August 2018, and a three volume self-study training course, “Using and Administering Linux — From Zero to SysAdmin,” released in December, 2019. He has also written one book with co-author Cyndi Bulka, “Linux for Small Business Owners.”

David can be reached at LinuxGeek46@both.org or on Mastodon at @LinuxGeek46@linuxrocks.online.

Getting To The Meeting
This will be a virtual meeting on Zoom. The link to this Zoom meeting will be found in this associated Meetup.com announcement once you RSVP Yes under its Date/Time as its Location. See above under the meeting's title where it says the meetup.com link.

Zoom session will open at 6:45pm (US Central time - Chicago) with the meeting starting at 7:00pm ending around 9:00pm (with a short review of Group business before the speaker starts). There will be a meeting after the meeting for those who want to discuss other things. This meeting will be run virtually on-line using our UniForum Chicago Zoom account.

Note
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Our live meetings have been held previously at the Bolingbrook Fountaindale Library but we have been holding our meetings virtually since the pandemic began since March 2020. However, there is now the possibility of holding live meetings going forward but will be decided when and where live meetings will be held as they are defined going forward.

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