What is a Bash script?

A Bash script is a shell script that contains a series of commands for the Bash programming language in Unix and Linux environments. The script is a plain text file that serves much like the script of a play or movie in that it tells the computer what to do and in what order to perform certain tasks. The contents of the script are commands that you can otherwise run on the command line individually—the only difference is that you've combined multiple commands into a single script.

Why learn Bash scripting?

Bash scripting can save you time and effort, especially if you have to run the same series of commands on a regular basis. If you ran each instruction individually on the command line, the effort can be time-consuming, but putting them into a script to run in Bash allows you to put multiple commands into the same file. A Bash script allows you to automate tasks that you have to repeat regularly so that you don't have to enter each command over and over again. Since Bash is such a common Unix language, you can use the scripts you create on any Linux computer using that language.

What are typical careers that use Bash scripting?

If you're a system administrator, having a general knowledge of shell scripting is important, but Bash scripting will allow you to find a career in any workplace that relies on the Bash programming language. There are plenty of jobs you can get as a Linux system administrator that will allow you to put your Bash scripting skills to use every day. You can also find jobs developing Unix software applications or working in a data center. DevOps careers rely on a thorough knowledge of Bash scripts for automation as well.

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

Online courses on Coursera can help you add Bash script writing to your list of valuable tools whether you're looking for advancement at your current workplace or you want to strike out into a new career. If you're new to the Unix or Linex environments, you might start out with a foundations course that helps you understand how it works. If you're a seasoned pro, you can learn how to automate using Bash scripts in a host of applications.

What are the benefits of taking an online Bash Script course?

Online Bash Script courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Bash Script skills. With a wide range of Bash Script classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Bash Script career skills.

What Bash Script courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Bash Script, 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 .

Best Bash Script Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Bash Script Course Catalog

IBM
Hands-on Introduction to Linux Commands and Shell Scripting
Skills you'll gain: Linux Commands, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, File Management, Unix Shell, Linux, Unix Commands, Linux Servers, Command-Line Interface, Linux Administration, Scripting Languages, Unix, Operating Systems, Network Protocols, OS Process Management, Automation
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
Introduction to Bash Shell Scripting
Skills you'll gain: Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Unix Shell, Scripting, Linux Commands, Unix Commands, Scripting Languages, Command-Line Interface, Linux, File Management, Unix, File Systems
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
662 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Codio
Bash Scripting and System Configuration
Skills you'll gain: Package and Software Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Version Control, Unix Shell, Shell Script, Scripting, Unix, Unix Commands, Linux, System Configuration, Linux Administration, Linux Commands, File Management
3.1
Rating, 3.1 out of 5 stars
10 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Duke University
Python, Bash and SQL Essentials for Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Pandas (Python Package), Bash (Scripting Language), Version Control, Jupyter, Linux Commands, Git (Version Control System), Shell Script, Linux, Web Scraping, Linux Administration, Data Manipulation, MySQL, Microservices, AWS SageMaker, SQL, JSON, Scripting, Cloud Engineering, Command-Line Interface, Development Environment
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
421 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
IBM Back-End Development
Skills you'll gain: Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Istio, Software Development Life Cycle, Linux Commands, Unit Testing, Application Deployment, Kubernetes, NoSQL, Bash (Scripting Language), MongoDB, Shell Script, Django (Web Framework), Object-Relational Mapping, OpenShift, Git (Version Control System), Cloud Applications, Containerization, GitHub, Jupyter, Grafana
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
47K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Project Network
The Bash Shell and Basic Scripting in Linux
Skills you'll gain: Bash (Scripting Language), Systems Administration, Shell Script, Linux Commands, Linux Administration, Unix Shell, Linux, Scripting, Scripting Languages, IT Automation, File Systems
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
28 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
Michigan State University
Write A Feature Length Screenplay For Film Or Television
Skills you'll gain: Storyboarding, Writing, Storytelling, Peer Review, Content Creation
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
257 reviews
Beginner · Course · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Developing Back-End Apps with Node.js and Express
Skills you'll gain: Node.JS, Server Side, Restful API, Back-End Web Development, Full-Stack Web Development, JavaScript Frameworks, Cloud Applications, Web Applications, Web Servers, Javascript, Authentications, Package and Software Management, JSON
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
500 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: [object Object]
Google
Google Cybersecurity
Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Intrusion Detection and Prevention, Security Controls, Vulnerability Management, Incident Response, Computer Security Incident Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Vulnerability Assessments, Event Monitoring, Network Security, Security Awareness, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Cybersecurity, Hardening, Bash (Scripting Language), Data Ethics, Linux Commands, Debugging
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
48K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Meta
Programming with JavaScript
Skills you'll gain: Jest (JavaScript Testing Framework), Web Development Tools, Javascript, Unit Testing, Web Applications, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Scripting Languages, Event-Driven Programming, Node.JS, Scripting, JSON, Computer Programming, Data Structures, Debugging, Package and Software Management, Program Development, Front-End Web Development, Functional Design
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.6K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Create a Promotional Video using Canva
Skills you'll gain: Customer Engagement, Canva (Software), Selling Techniques, Marketing Materials, Presentations, Promotional Materials, Copywriting, Promotional Strategies, Social Media Content, Multimedia, Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Target Audience, Value Propositions, Content Creation
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
IBM
ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow and Kafka
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Data Warehousing, Data Transformation, Data Migration, Web Scraping, Data Integration, Shell Script, Real Time Data, Data Mart, Big Data, Performance Tuning, Databases, Scalability
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
392 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months