A collection of practical Bash scripting assignments designed to develop problem-solving, automation, validation, and error-handling skills.

Each homework task provides:

• A student challenge sheet
• Clearly defined script requirements
• Testing instructions
• A separate solution guide
• A downloadable task package

homework/
├── README.md
├── task-1/
│   ├── README.md
│   ├── Bash-Scripting-Challenge-Tasks-1.md
│   └── Bash-Scripting-Challenge-Tasks-1-Solutions.md
└── task-1.zip

Task 1 contains five challenges requiring seven Bash scripts:

After completing the homework, students should be able to:

• Create and execute Bash scripts.
• Use for and while loops.
• Read and validate user input.
• Process command-line arguments.
• Quote variables and arguments safely.
• Check command success and failure.
• Send error messages to standard error.
• Return meaningful exit statuses.
• Verify root privileges before administrative operations.
• Apply basic defensive scripting practices.

1. Open the challenge sheet.
2. Read one task carefully.
3. Write the required script independently.
4. Check its syntax with bash -n.
5. Test both successful and failure cases.
6. Check the exit status with echo $?.
7. Review the solution only after completing your attempt.
8. Improve your script based on what you learned.

Open the homework directory:

cd homework

Open Task 1:

cd task-1

Read the assignment:

less Bash-Scripting-Challenge-Tasks-1.md

Use a Markdown preview in GitHub or your code editor for the best reading experience.

Make a script executable:

chmod +x script.sh

Run it:

./script.sh

You can also run it directly with Bash:

bash script.sh

Check a script without executing it:

bash -n script.sh

Check all Bash scripts in the current directory:

for script in ./*.sh
do
    bash -n "$script" || exit 1
done

echo "All scripts passed syntax checking."

Run a script in trace mode:

bash -x script.sh

• bash -n checks syntax.
• bash -x displays commands as Bash executes them.

Check the status returned by the most recent command:

echo $?

• Attempt every task before reading its solution.
• Use meaningful variable names.
• Quote variable expansions when appropriate.
• Add comments that explain the purpose of important code.
• Test valid, invalid, empty, and missing input.
• Send error messages to stderr using >&2.
• Never assume that a command succeeded.
• Do not run administrative scripts without reviewing them.

The package-installation exercise can modify system software. Run it only on a suitable Linux practice environment after reviewing the script:

sudo ./install_packages.sh

Do not test package installation on an important production system.

• All required scripts have been created.
• Every script begins with a Bash shebang.
• Scripts pass bash -n.
• Successful and failure cases have been tested.
• Variables and arguments are quoted correctly.
• Invalid input produces a clear error.
• Failure paths return non-zero exit statuses.
• Administrative scripts verify root access.
• Scripts include useful comments.
• Solutions were reviewed only after attempting the challenges.

Created for Bash scripting practice by Muhammad Khalid Khan.