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Choosing Shell: Which One To Use

Different shells. Different features. Different uses.

Here's the thing: Most of the time, use bash. It's everywhere. It works.

The Shells​

bash: The Standard​

Use when:

  • Writing scripts
  • Need portability
  • Working on servers
  • Most common case

My take: bash is everywhere. Use it for scripts. It's the standard.

sh: The Basic​

Use when:

  • Need maximum portability
  • Old systems
  • POSIX compliance
  • Minimal requirements

My take: sh is basic. Use it only when you need maximum portability.

zsh: The Modern​

Use when:

  • Interactive use
  • Modern features
  • Personal preference
  • macOS default

My take: zsh is nice for interactive use. But bash for scripts.

My Recommendation​

For scripts: Use bash. Always.

For interactive: Use what you like. zsh is nice. bash works too.

My take: bash for scripts. zsh for interactive. That's it.

Shebang Lines​

#!/bin/bash                        # bash script
#!/bin/sh                          # sh script
#!/usr/bin/env bash                # Find bash in PATH

My take: Use #!/bin/bash for bash scripts. Simple.

Common Patterns​

bash Script​

#!/bin/bash
echo "Hello, World!"

sh Script​

#!/bin/sh
echo "Hello, World!"

What's Next?​

Now that you understand shells, let's talk about Shebang Line in detail.

Personal note: I used to wonder which shell to use. Then I learned: bash for scripts. That's it. Don't overthink it.