Bash & Shell Scripting

Q: Is the Bash & Shell Scripting quiz free?

Yes. The Bash & Shell Scripting quiz is completely free with no signup. Answer the questions, get instant scoring, and earn XP as you go.

Q: What level is the Bash & Shell Scripting quiz?

This is a Medium-level quiz. Each question includes the correct answer so you learn as you test yourself, whatever your starting point.

Q: How can I prepare for this quiz?

Review the linked courses and notes for the topic first, then take the quiz to check your understanding. You can retake it anytime to track improvement.

Question 1

What does the pipe `a | b` do?

Accepted Answer

A pipe connects the standard output of the left command to the standard input of the right, enabling composition.

Question 2

Unquoted variables like `rm $file` can break on spaces or expand globs unexpectedly.

Accepted Answer

True. Always quote: rm "$file". Unquoted expansion word-splits and glob-expands, a classic and dangerous bug.

Question 3

What does `$?` hold?

Accepted Answer

$? is the exit code of the previous command; 0 means success, non-zero means failure.

Question 4

What does `set -e` do in a script?

Accepted Answer

set -e makes the script abort on the first failing command, preventing it from blindly continuing after an error.

Question 5

Difference between `>` and `>>`?

Accepted Answer

> truncates/creates the file with the output; >> appends to the existing content.

Question 6

In `if [ "$x" = "5" ]`, spaces inside the brackets are required.

Accepted Answer

True. `[` is actually the test command; it needs spaces around operands and brackets, or it fails with a syntax error.

Question 7

What does `2>&1` mean?

Accepted Answer

It merges standard error into standard output, so both streams go to the same destination (e.g., a log file).

Question 8

What is the difference between `"$@"` and `"$*"`?

Accepted Answer

"$@" preserves argument boundaries (usually what you want in loops); "$*" concatenates all args into one string.

Question 9

A shebang like `#!/usr/bin/env bash` tells the OS which interpreter to run the script with.

Accepted Answer

True. The shebang on line 1 selects the interpreter; using env finds bash on the PATH for portability.

Question 10

What does `chmod +x script.sh` do?

Accepted Answer

chmod +x adds the execute permission so you can run ./script.sh directly.

Bash & Shell Scripting

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Bash & Shell Scripting

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