Question

I tried to learn shell(bash) scripting few times but was driven away by the syntax. Then I found Python and was able to do most of the things a shell script can do in Python. I am now not sure whether I should invest my time in learning shell scripting anymore. So I want to ask:

What are strengths of shell scripting that make it an indispensable tool as compared to Python?

I am not a system administration by profession, but I am interested in setting up Linux systems for home users, hence I think learning shell scripting can become necessary.

Answer 1

• Shell scripting has simpler notations for I/O redirection.
• It is simpler to create pipelines out of existing programs in shell.
• Shell scripting reuses entire programs.
• Shell is universally available (on anything like Unix) – Python is not necessarily installed.

‘Tis true that you can do everything in Python that you can do in shell; ’tis also true that there are things that are easy in Python that are hard in shell (just as there are things that are easy in shell but hard in Python). Knowing both will be best in the long term.