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(bash.info) Shell Operation

Info Catalog (bash.info) Shell Syntax (bash.info) Quoting
 
 3.1.1 Shell Operation
 ---------------------
 
 The following is a brief description of the shell's operation when it
 reads and executes a command.  Basically, the shell does the following:
 
   1. Reads its input from a file ( Shell Scripts), from a string
      supplied as an argument to the `-c' invocation option (
      Invoking Bash), or from the user's terminal.
 
   2. Breaks the input into words and operators, obeying the quoting
      rules described in  Quoting.  These tokens are separated by
      `metacharacters'.  Alias expansion is performed by this step
      ( Aliases).
 
   3. Parses the tokens into simple and compound commands ( Shell
      Commands).
 
   4. Performs the various shell expansions ( Shell Expansions),
      breaking the expanded tokens into lists of filenames (
      Filename Expansion) and commands and arguments.
 
   5. Performs any necessary redirections ( Redirections) and
      removes the redirection operators and their operands from the
      argument list.
 
   6. Executes the command ( Executing Commands).
 
   7. Optionally waits for the command to complete and collects its exit
      status ( Exit Status).
 
 
Info Catalog (bash.info) Shell Syntax (bash.info) Quoting
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