Sure, bash scripts can get very complicated -- but at first they can be as simple as you like.

I've been using Linux for a very long time, during which I've done just about everything you can imagine with the open-source operating system. From my early days, one thing I needed to learn how to do was create a bash script. When I first started using Linux, I had a 33.6k modem that refused to stay online. To get around that problem, I had to create a bash script that would monitor my connectivity; if the script discovered I was offline, it would reconnect me.

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Thankfully, I no longer have to pull off such tricks. In fact, Linux has become so user-friendly, I rarely have to bother with bash scripts. Even so, it's a great feature to have handy.

What is a bash script?

Think of a bash script as a tiny application you create that consists of Linux commands. You can write bash scripts to do just about anything, such as create backups, set variables, open applications, navigate to specific directories, create files, and so much more. In fact, with just a little creativity, the sky's the limit with bash scripts.

But remember, bash scripts are just that