I'm considering a career in cybersecurity and thinking about diving into Python as it seems pretty engaging. However, I'm curious if I should learn Bash scripting first. I don't plan to go back to college for a degree; I have six years of IT support experience under my belt. I'm also on the lookout for good resources to learn both Bash scripting and Python, so any suggestions would really help!
5 Answers
Mix it up! There's no strict order to learning. If you find something interesting, jump right in. Bash is a bit quirky, so if you can do the same with Python, go for that instead!
You really don’t need to learn Bash scripting to get into programming or Python. Just knowing how to navigate the terminal and run basic commands can be enough. Key commands like pwd, cd, ls, and grep are super useful. Once you're comfortable with those, you'll be in a good spot!
Also, it helps to learn about pipes, xargs, and loops a bit later. Understanding these can really enhance your scripting skills when you get to it!
Only if you want to struggle. Bash can be tricky with its syntax. I’ve used various programming languages, and I can promise you’ll encounter some tough spots with Bash.
Master Bash enough to navigate comfortably, but don’t spend too much time early on. Once you have a handle on programming in Python, you'll find yourself writing simple scripts easily just by using what you learn.
I’d say focus on Python instead. Once you're familiar with a programming language, picking up Bash scripting will be a lot easier!
Thanks for the specifics. That was a HUGE help.