How do I run a .sh bash script?

Introduction

Bash scripts are commonly used in Linux systems to automate tasks and execute commands. However, sometimes it can be confusing to know how to run these scripts from the terminal. This post will provide a step-by-step guide on how to run a .sh bash script in the terminal.

Check File Permissions

Before running a bash script, it is important to check the file permissions. To do this, open the terminal and navigate to the directory where the bash script is located. Then, type the following command:

ls -l

This will display the file permissions for all the files in the directory. Look for the bash script you want to run and ensure that it has executable permissions. If it does not, you can change the permissions by typing the following command:

chmod +x filename.sh

This will give the file executable permissions, allowing it to be run as a program.

Running a Bash Script

Once the file permissions have been checked, you can run the bash script by typing the following command in the terminal:

./filename.sh

Make sure to replace “filename” with the actual name of your bash script. This will execute the bash script in the terminal.

Passing Arguments to a Bash Script

Bash scripts can also accept arguments when they are run. To pass arguments to a bash script, simply type the arguments after the filename when executing the script. For example:

./filename.sh arg1 arg2 arg3

This will pass “arg1”, “arg2”, and “arg3” as arguments to the bash script.

Redirecting Output

When running a bash script, the output will be displayed in the terminal. However, sometimes it may be useful to redirect the output to a file. To do this, simply use the “>” symbol followed by the name of the file you want to save the output to. For example:

./filename.sh > output.txt

This will redirect the output of the bash script to a file called “output.txt” in the same directory.

Debugging Bash Scripts

Debugging bash scripts can be a challenge, especially if they are complex or have many lines of code. One way to debug bash scripts is to add the following line at the beginning of the script:

#!/bin/bash -x

This will enable debug mode, which will display each line of code as it is executed in the terminal. This can be useful for identifying errors and troubleshooting issues in the script.

Conclusion

Running bash scripts in the terminal is a useful skill for Linux users. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can run bash scripts, pass arguments, redirect output, and debug scripts with ease. With practice, you can become proficient in using bash scripts to automate tasks and execute commands in your Linux system.

To run a Bash script in the terminal, you can use the following command:

bash script.sh

Replace “script.sh” with the name of your script.

Alternatively, you can make the script executable by using the chmod command and then simply run it by typing its name:

chmod +x script.sh
./script.sh

If you want to open the script in a text editor, you can use the gedit command:

gedit script.sh

You can also use other text editors, such as nano or vi, by replacing gedit with the desired text editor.

If you want to change the default program that is used to open .sh files, you can do the following:

1. Right-click on the .sh file and select “Properties”
2. In the “Properties” window, go to the “Open With” tab
3. Select the desired program from the list or click “Add” to choose a different program
4. Click “Set as default” to set the selected program as the default for opening .sh files

This will allow you to open the .sh file with the desired program simply by double-clicking on it.

To give execute permission to my script, I should use the following command:

chmod +x /path/to/myscript.sh

And to run my script, I can use the following command:

/path/to/myscript.sh

If my script is in the current directory, I can simplify this to:

./myscript.sh

It’s important to note that the “.” character refers to the current directory.