Transparency and Reproducibility in Computation and Analysis
Last updated
8 November 2026
Module
The Unix Shell
By Adam Huffman, Adam James Orr, Adam Richie-Halford, AidaMirsalehi, Alexander Konovalov, Alexander Morley, Alex Kassil, Alex Mac, Alix Keener, Amy Brown, Andrea Bedini, Andrew Boughton, Andrew Reid, Andrew T. T. McRae, Andrew Walker, Ariel Rokem, Armin Sobhani, Ashwin Srinath, Bagus Tris Atmaja, Bartosz Telenczuk, Ben Bolker, Benjamin Gabriel, Bertie Seyffert, Bill Mills, Brian Ballsun-Stanton, BrianBill, Camille Marini, Chris Mentzel, Christina Koch, Colin Morris, Colin Sauze, csqrs, Damien Irving, Dana Brunson, Daniel Baird, Danielle M. Nielsen, Daniel McCloy, Daniel Standage, Dan Jones, Dave Bridges, David Eyers, David McKain, David Vollmer, Dean Attali, Devinsuit, Dmytro Lituiev, Donny Winston, Doug Latornell, Dustin Lang, earkpr, ekaterinailin, Elena Denisenko, Emily Dolson, Emily Jane McTavish, Eric Jankowski, Erin Alison Becker, Ethan P White, Evgenij Belikov, Farah Shamma, Fatma Deniz, Filipe Fernandes, Francis Gacenga, François Michonneau, Gabriel A. Devenyi, Gerard Capes, Giuseppe Profiti, Greg Wilson, Halle Burns, Hannah Burkhardt, Harriet Alexander, Hugues Fontenelle, Ian van der Linde, Inigo Aldazabal Mensa, Jackie Milhans, Jake Cowper Szamosi, James Guelfi, Jan T. Kim, Jarek Bryk, Jarno Rantaharju, Jason Macklin, Jay van Schyndel, Jens vdL, John Blischak, John Pellman, John Simpson, Jonah Duckles, Jonny Williams, Joshua Madin, Kai Blin, Kathy Chung, Katrin Leinweber, Kevin M. Buckley, Kirill Palamartchouk, Klemens Noga, Kristopher Keipert, Kunal Marwaha, Laurence, Lee Zamparo, Lex Nederbragt, Mahdi Sadjadi, Marcel Stimberg, Marc Rajeev Gouw, Maria Doyle, Marie-Helene Burle, Marisa Lim, Mark Mandel, Martha Robinson, Martin Feller, Matthew Gidden, Matthew Peterson, M Carlise, Megan Fritz, Michael Zingale, Mike Henry, Mike Jackson, Morgan Oneka, Murray Hoggett, Nicolas Barral, Nicola Soranzo, Noah D Brenowitz, Noam Ross, Norman Gray, nther, Orion Buske, Owen Kaluza, Patrick McCann, Paul Gardner, Pauline Barmby, Peter R. Hoyt, Peter Steinbach, Philip Lijnzaad, Phillip Doehle, Piotr Banaszkiewicz, Rafi Ullah, Raniere Silva, Rémi Emonet, Reshama Shaikh, Robert A Beagrie, Ruud Steltenpool, Ry4an Brase, Sarah Mount, Sarah Simpkin, s-boardman, Scott Ritchie, sjnair, Stéphane Guillou, Stephan Schmeing, Stephen Jones, Stephen Turner, Steve Leak, Susan Miller, Thomas Mellan, Tim Keighley, Tobin Magle, Tom Dowrick, Trevor Bekolay, Varda F. Hagh, Victor Koppejan, Vikram Chhatre, Yee Mey
Level Graduate / Professional · For student, teacher · Language English
Abstract
Software Carpentry lesson on how to use the shell to navigate the filesystem and write simple loops and scripts. The Unix shell has been around longer than most of its users have been alive. It has survived so long because it’s a power tool that allows people to do complex things with just a few keystrokes. More importantly, it helps them combine existing programs in new ways and automate repetitive tasks so they aren’t typing the same things over and over again. Use of the shell is fundamental to using a wide range of other powerful tools and computing resources (including “high-performance computing” supercomputers). These lessons will start you on a path towards using these resources effectively.
