Shell is an interactive GNU utility.
It allows users to manage files and processes.
The command prompt: the interactive interface of the shell.
It allows users to enter text commands, that it will interprets and send them to the kernel to be executed.
To access the text command line interface (CLI):
- Console Terminal (Linux console): You can access the shell CLI through a virtual console (Ctrl+Alt+F1-7).
- Graphical Terminal: You can use a terminal emulator to access the shell CLI (GNOME Terminal Emulator, xterm Terminal Emulator, ...).
You can adjust the shell CLI environment by using the command setterm:
setterm -inverserscreen on
setterm -inverserscreen off
setterm -background white
setterm -background black
setterm -reset
The shell provides a set of internal programs (built-in shell commands) to manage files and processes.
The shell also allows entering text commands in the command prompt that refer to external programs.
When writing commands in the shell CLI, you can use the auto-complete feature to find a command (or a file or a directory).
You can write partially the name of a command and press the
tab key and the shell will try to complete the command name.
If only one command match the remaining part of the provided text, then it will write the command name.
Otherwise, shell will print the number of commands that their names match the provided text and ask you if you want to see all of them.
Shell scripts: you can group shell commands within a file called shell script.
Linux shells: bash, ash, ...