When I was about 12 years old, my aunt gave us an old computer. Without going into all the details, I broke it, and all that it would then let you do is write programs in BASIC. It came with a book explaining how to do various things with the language. So having nothing better to do, I worked through it and taught myself how to code, and eventually went to college to learn how to do it better. Now I make a living writing software. I have good news for you. For most people and what they want to do with software development, you don’t need to spend tons of money. You can find pretty much everything you need on the Internet. With the tutorials that follow I hope to make it even easier for you. Basic understanding on how to use a computer, browse the Web, and some middle school math is required, but that’s pretty much it. We won’t go into exhaustive detail on every topic covered in this series, but it should be enough to get you going. So, let’s get on with what you will need.
[Read More]Introduction to the Command Line
The basics
The command line can feel a bit like a step backwards in terms of user experience, or even intimidating. However, it can be a very powerful tool, and even impossible to avoid if you want to program or be involved in IT.
What is it?
Probably the most recognizable image of the command line is that black box on the screen with green text. Basically it is a place to interact with your computer via text rather than photos (mostly). You’ll need an application called a “terminal” or “terminal emulator” to get started. Also, you will need to select a shell. Think of it as what interprets the text you type, and the terminal displays it. Each operating system has it’s own default shell, but for the most part you have at least a few alternatives. There are plenty of articles written on the subject. So, we are just going to look at some high level concepts. In general a command entered into the terminal is broken into 3 parts.
[Read More]