Bash functions are essentially reusable wrappers around commands. You can use them to define complex command pipelines or to perform some detailed work and echo the result. They accept arguments and ...

Last month, I explored exit codes and how decent error correction in your shell scripts always should include testing the value of $? after each meaningful command ...

If you've been keeping track of my column, you'll know that we're building a Blackjack game as a shell script. Why? Because most shell scripts are far too boring to study without nodding off, so ...

If your automated script takes action based on a value, it's critical to make sure the value is correct. Good thing PowerShell has ways to validate the values that are passed to a function. In recent ...

Shell scripting is one of those skills that are absolutely invaluable on especially UNIX and BSD-based systems like the BSDs, the two zillion Linux distributions as well as MacOS. Yet not every shell ...

Don’t copy and paste the same code over and over again. Instead, create a PowerShell function and save yourself time.

Are all of the default PowerShell cmdlets exactly the way you like them to be? Do they have all of the parameters you think should be standard and have no extras? Probably not. We all have our quirks ...

The next time you need to wait on a step in your script, don't just add a delay. Instead, use a Wait-Action function to wait just the right amount of time. A script is all about defining a set of ...

Unlock the full InfoQ experience by logging in! Stay updated with your favorite authors and topics, engage with content, and download exclusive resources. Kenneth Harris, a NASA veteran who worked on ...