What is the difference between #!/bin/bash and #!/bin/sh 1

[mtorbin]

This is in reference to cron jobs. I'm going to attempt to write my own cron into cron.monthly and some files use the /bash and others use /sh. Which one do I need and where? What is the difference?

Thanks,

- MT

 

[ericbrunson]

sh is a symbolic link to bash, but bash behaves differently if you call it sh. I think you should just use bash, since it's guaranteed to be on you system and you don't have to worry about portability.

 

[thedaver]

There are many "shells"
e.g. bourne-, bash-, korn-, z-shell

Each observes differing syntax, constructs, and behaviors

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[kordaff]

/bin/sh scripts written under linux tend not to work real well on sun/solaris boxen...

 

[ericbrunson]

Which is why I always write my portable scripts in ksh.

 

[kordaff]

I like zsh too, used that a lot on free-bsd and tru/64 boxes.