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What Is The Default Shell In Linux Called?

If you are just getting started with Linux you might be wondering about basic things like the shell. There are several options available for shells and they might be confusing if you aren’t familiar with them. It is also completely possible that you might be a seasoned vetran and just never bothered to look into it. Still it is worth asking, “What is the default shell in Linux called?” The default shell is usually the BASH shell but this may potentially be different depending on your distro. It is by far the most common as of the time of this writing (April, 2020).

Short Answer: BASH

Long Answer: Well, you never know, it all depends …..

Why the BASH shell? It has a lot of modern features and it is free. Generally people have come to expect the level of functionality that it provides. This hasn’t always been the case for all shells and still isn’t depending on what you use.

Don’t some people prefer other shells? Yes, somtimes people just prefer certain features and behaviors that come along with other shells. Sometimes they have a good arguement for using an alternative to BASH. Sometimes older, much less functional shells still remain in use for legacy reasons. If huge ammounts of infrastructure has always depended on scripts and environments setup using these shells it may be hard to move away.

The Best Shell For Linux

What is the best shell for Linux? It isn’t BASH. Some people like to argue the merits of the KSH but that isn’t the best shell either. The real winner is the Fish Shell. Once you actually take a look at it you will realize that it is vastly superior to just about any other shell out there. At least it is better than anything I have come accross. The truth is that most shells, even those with “modern” features, are still really out dated and could be so much better. Fish puts just about everything else to shame. If you want to learn more just check the link at the bottom of the page.

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