The Unix shell is an interactive command interpreter: it reads a command, finds the corresponding program, runs it, and displays the output.
The shell is a Command Line Interface (CLI) and a Read-Eval-Print-Loop (REPL).
“The shell is older [50!] than most of the people who use it. It has survived so long because it is one of the most productive programming environments ever created— despite its cryptic syntax.”
80% of all web sites (UO, Google, Facebook) run on Unix systems.
Learn Unix (Required)
Complete the following three steps:
1. Read Introduction to the Command Line
Read Introduction to the Command Line (launchschool).
- Read the Introduction
- Skip Preparations
- Read all sections of Introduction to the Command Line except the last section (Other Interfaces).
2. Open a Unix Shell on your Computer
- MacOS: Run the terminal app. OS X is certified Unix.
- Windows: You have three options– pick one:
a) Open your Gitbash shell.
Gitbash is not a full Unix shell– it only supports Git-related commands.
b) Start PuTTY, and then connect to shell.uoregon.edu.
c) Install Bash for Windows. This is the best, but most difficult, option– see details, below.
3. Learn these Basic Unix Shell Commands
- Open A beginners guide to the Unix and Linux operating system (University of Surrey).
Complete tutorials 1, 2, 4, and 5.1-5.2. - Learn About the Tilde (~).
Every new developer should know what the Tilde (~) means in Unix and what it means in URLs.
How to Install Bash/WSL for Windows
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets developers run a Unix environment directly on Windows, unmodified, without the overhead of a virtual machine.
Read Install Unix on Windows for details.
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