Difference Between CSH and BASH

CSH vs BASH

Computers need operating systems in order for them to be able to run several programs. They are the programs that recognize what computer users type on their keyboards and send and display these on their computer screens.

They control devices that are attached and used with the computer such as printers and compact disks, and they manage the files and other data that are on the disks. They make the computer run smoothly even if several programs are running, and they keep the system secure.

There are several operating systems available like Windows, DOS, and Linux. Each operating system in turn has a command processor which executes its commands. Thus, when a user types a command, the command processor is the part of the operating system that accepts it. It will verify the validity of the command and will execute it if it is a valid command or gives an error warning if it is not. DOS and Windows operating systems have command.com operating systems while Unix and Linux operating systems have the C shell (CSH), the Bourne shell, and the Bourne Again shell (BASH).

The C shell (CSH) is a command processor which runs on a text window and causes action when a user types a command. It is a Unix shell which was developed by Bill Joy in the late 1970s with the help of Michael Ubell, Mike O’Brien, Jim Kulp, and Eric Allman.

It can read scripts and do several other functions such as supporting command substitution, the wildcarding of file names, control structures, documents, and variables. It incorporates job control with C syntax, history mechanism, and interactive completion of file names and user names. Aside from being a shell script command processor, it is also used as an interactive login shell.

Bourne Again shell (BASH) is also a command processor that runs on a text window just like other Linux shells. It was developed as a replacement for the Bourne shell by Brian Fox for use on the GNU operating system. It was released in 1989 and combines the features of CSH, KSH, and SH. The keywords and syntax that it uses are from SH which have many extensions unlike the original Bourne shell. Its command line editing, command history, command substitution, and directory are from KSH and CSH.

BASH evidently has more features than CSH since it has the features of all other shells in addition to its own. It is also more suitable for use by beginners, and learning it will introduce users to the other shells since their features are also being used by BASH.

Summary:

1.CSH is C shell while BASH is Bourne Again shell.
2.C shell and BASH are both Unix and Linux shells. While CSH has its own features, BASH has incorporated the features of other shells including that of CSH with its own features which provides it with more features and makes it the most widely used command processor.
3.CSH was developed by Bill Joy in the late 1970s while BASH was developed by Brian Fox.

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