What you'll learn

In this course, Bash Advanced Data Structures and Variables, you'll learn how to write reusable, modular functions for your Bash scripts that are easier to maintain and less prone to subtle bugs. First, you'll explore how to modularize scripts using functions that clarify intent, reduce repetition, and thoughtfully leverage return codes. Next, you'll discover how to manage structured data with indexed arrays and associative arrays. Finally, you'll master word splitting—understanding when and how it occurs, and how to tame it with quoting around parameter expansion. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll be equipped to write Bash scripts that are clean, modular, and resilient, with fewer surprises lurking in your pipelines and loops.