With AI tools like Claude generating scripts automatically, is it still worth investing time in learning Bash scripting for Linux, or will AI eventually take over most scripting tasks?
Posted by Darshan_only@reddit | linuxadmin | View on Reddit | 18 comments
I’m currently learning Linux and trying to build my skills toward system administration and cloud roles. One thing I keep wondering is how much Bash scripting will matter in the future.
With AI tools like Claude and similar assistants, it’s already possible to generate scripts, automate tasks, and even troubleshoot issues pretty quickly. That makes me question whether investing a lot of time in mastering Bash scripting is still worth it.
On the other hand, I feel like understanding what the script is actually doing is important, especially when something breaks or needs customization.
For those already working as sysadmins or in DevOps:
1.Do you still write Bash scripts regularly, or rely more on AI/tools now?
2.How important is deep scripting knowledge in real-world jobs today?
2.Should beginners focus heavily on Bash, or shift more toward higher-level tools and automation?
Trying to make sure I’m learning the right things for the long run.
segagamer@reddit
AI tools will probably get you something functional.
But there's no telling if it'll be the most efficient or less prone to error unless someone with knowledge goes over the code.
If you don't mind running bloated scripts that probably take a lot longer to complete than they should, then sure just lean on AI.
reddit-MT@reddit
AI isn't smart at all. It just reads a bunch of forum posts and cobbles together what it thinks is the consensus view. You have to be smart enough to evaluate its output, see if it has bad side effects, and apply that in your real world situation. It can save a bunch of time googling and help with the syntax. But you have to understand the logic and how that applies to your situation.
I use Bash for simple things, but I find Python easier for more complex things. You need Unix shell scripting 101 and CS 101 programming in Python, for starters. Your could get a good intro to Bash scripting book and a Python book and/or do free online classes. You have to have CS 101 to understand variable, loops, conditions, etc, to even begin to apply human or AI code examples. You also need CS 101 to able to ask AI the right questions.
How deep a knowledge you needs depends on the job. You usually start as tech support, and move into Jr Sysadmin if you have a good work ethic and show up on time. Then you figure out what you like and are good at. Some guys lean more toward hardware, programming, systems administration, automation, or networking. Many of us do a little of everything, depending on the needs of the business.
kai_ekael@reddit
Sure, go ahead and trust Claude to do everything. My rates to fix are reasonably adjusted for such a case.
WorkJeff@reddit
Even if you're just stealing some other human's script, life is way better when you can read & evaluate what it's doing.
Bobbler23@reddit
Learn Bash.
Seriously, when you move jobs, what if they don't let you use AI tools in house or have air gapped systems? Even our company that is embracing the use of AI tools has limits on what and where we are allowed to use them - you can't copy/paste anything or upload anything from your local machine to a remote machine in our management zone areas or DMZ stuff (which is practically all Linux at this stage). Sure you can type it out line by line from one screen to another, but at least you are then not blindly using the AI to do stuff for you.
All I know is that despite Claude, Co-Pilot and Gemini still being available to practically anyone in our business, they are still getting me to cover out of hour complex migrations and DR rollovers of Linux production kit because I know how to fix it without those tools - and I don't even work primarily as a Linux admin any longer!
faxattack@reddit
What you gonna do when you dont have your assistant available for some reason?
Hrafna55@reddit
Yes! Because exactly as you said, you need to understand what the script is doing even if you didn't write it.
This applies to scripts other humans write as well.
Zhaizo@reddit
You need to be able to understand what the script does and fix it accordingly when it does not fit your needs.
cardboard-kansio@reddit
You mean like how you set restrictions for Claude so it can't mess up your whole system, then it simply writes a Python script that it executes via bash to bypass them?
Yeah you don't have to be a hardcore developer but you need to know enough to evaluate what Claude is doing and stop it when it goes off-track. I've had to intervene several times when I saw it trying to install stuff on my system or make crazy work-arounds.
Just last night it did something I had explicitly instructed it not to do. When confronted, it said "Oops, your right, I shouldn't have done that - I see the instruction in my permanent memory. My bad."
8tim@reddit
Did you scold it? I find that helps 🙈
MsInput@reddit
With AI tools like Claude automatically doing everything is there any point investing in life? Maybe we should just die and let the AI take over? Why bother learning or knowing or trying to do anything?
vogelke@reddit
I prefer Korn shell (/bin/ksh) because it doesn't try to do as much, so smaller attack surface.
I've never used "AI" tools for coding and have no plans on starting. The quotes are to emphasize the bullshit we're seeing -- we can't come up with a definition of intelligence that 5 people can agree on, so anyone who thinks we can code it is huffing farts.
Extremely important if you're any good at it. I was a Unix dev/admin/security puke from around 1987 to 2020, and I made lots of friends by automating the busywork parts of a job and leaving the stuff that required actual thought.
People don't resent change. They resent stupid change that replaces a simple 2-step process with 10 steps of bullshit which does nothing except flatter some rent-seeker's ego.
Beginners should get a simple programming book that doesn't specialize in any particular language:
Then see how a given language implements these things.
A shell script is best when your problem can be broken down into smaller steps for which individual programs exist.
Larger problems requiring more code should be handled by languages like Python, Lua, Perl or whatever you're comfortable with.
Good luck!
thefanum@reddit
100%. How will you know it's safe? Don't tell me you're trusting genAI with a single thing, without fact checking every single thing it says
Lopoetve@reddit
How much do you trust a drunk goldfish to run root commands?
The answer to this determines your future career and chances of succeeding in the industry
DonkeyTron42@reddit
AI tools like Claude will do most of the legwork but it’s still up to you to keep it in check.
feldrim@reddit
It's better to learn an let AI be the reviewer, not the developer.
Redemptions@reddit
You should at least know how to understand what the script your AI tools are running. Blindly trusting an AI script is the express way to testicular pain.
NightOfTheLivingHam@reddit
It would be better to learn yourself so you know how to fix it when Claude screws up as well as just having those abilities when you can't rely on an AI to do something for you. It would be like starting a software company where you have no idea how to code.