Shell Functions: The ability to group commands together.Shell Commands: The actual commands the shell can execute.Shell Syntax: How the shell understands what you enter.Most shells offer the following to some degree or other: The shell controls how the command line is presented to the user and what features the command line supports. But the command line still exists, and for working with core components of the operating system it can be very versatile, providing more capabilities than what is available in the GUI (Graphical User Interface).
WHY DID I GET A BASH ON MAC MAC
The Mac (and many UNIX and Linux systems) also features a graphical user interface to make working with the computer even easier. And like most Unix or Linux based systems, the command line interface is one of the key methods for interacting with the operating system.
The Mac makes use of a UNIX-like operating system. OK, so the shell was a big improvement back then, but why is it still used today with modern computers? Using a shell and a command line was a lot easier for working with a computer than rows and rows of toggle switches. Ah, those were the days.Įarly personal computers like the IMSAI 8080 used an array of switches to load programs manually – Image courtesy of Judson McCranie. Once the paper tape reader was operational, you could load a shell program that allowed a Teletype to be used as a command line interface. In many cases, the manually loaded program was for a boot loader that allowed the computer to accept input from a paper tape reader.
This process was labor-intensive and prone to errors. In some cases, this was done by setting a row of switches that represented a memory location address, and then loading data into the memory with another set of switches. In those early days, controlling a computer was a daunting task that could require you to manually load memory locations, one at a time, with the data that would eventually be run as a program. There are a number of different shells you can use, but if you’re wondering why anyone would want to use a shell and a command line to control a computer, you need to take a trip back in time to the dawn of the computer age. Shells are usually interactive text-based interfaces that accept commands and present the results. In this Rocket Yard guide, we’ll look at how this change to Terminal and the command line affects you.Īt the simplest level, a shell is a program that allows you to control a computer, in this case, a Mac, using commands you enter with the keyboard. The quick take away is Apple is moving from the Bash (Bourne Again Shell) to a newer Zsh. MacOS Catalina has a number of new features and capabilities, but one change that’s often overlooked is the new shell used in Terminal to interact with the Mac via the command line.
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