[phailhaus]

Bash syntax is anything but simple or logical. Just look at the insane if-statement syntax. Or how the choice of quotes fundamentally changes behavior. Argument parsing, looping, the list goes on.

[akdev1l]

if statements are pretty simple

if $command; then <thing> else <thing> fi

You may be complaining about the syntax for the test command specifically or bash’s [[ builtin

Also the choice of quotes changing behavior is a thing in:

1. JavaScript/typescript 2. Python 3. C/C++ 4. Rust

In some cases it’s the same difference, eg: string interpolation in JavaScript with backticks

[viraptor]

> Also the choice of quotes changing behavior is a thing in:

In those languages they change what's contained in the string. Not how many strings you get. Or what the strings from that string look like. ($@ being an extreme example)

[Steltek]

You could make a list of WTFs about any language.

Bash syntax is the pinnacle of Chesterton's Fence. If you can't articulate why it was done that way, you have no right to remove it. Python would be an absolutely unusable shell language.

[phailhaus]

I didn't say that there wasn't a reason. I said it was absolute trash to use. It's so bad that the moment I need even the slightest bit of complexity, I will switch away from bash. Can't really say that for any other language.

[Towaway69]

Are taxes simple?

Why does Bash syntax have to be "simple"? For me, Bash syntax is simple.

[phailhaus]

Uh, reading a bash script shouldn't be as hard as doing your taxes. Bash syntax has to be simple because bash code is going to be read and reasoned by humans. Reading just a simple if statement in bash syntax requires a TON of knowledge to avoid shooting yourself in the foot. That's a massive failure of usability just to save a couple of keystrokes.

This is like saying "what's wrong with brainfuck??? makes sense to me!" Every syntax can be understood, that does not automatically make them all good ideas.