> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cybersecurity-cloud-and-it-notes.gitbook.io/kyles-cybersecurity-cloud-and-it-gitbook/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cybersecurity-cloud-and-it-notes.gitbook.io/kyles-cybersecurity-cloud-and-it-gitbook/google-cybersecurity-professional-cert/4.-linux-and-sql-tool-of-the-trade/module-2/the-shell/intro-to-the-shell.md).

# Intro to the shell

Welcome back! In this video, we're going to discuss the Linux shell. 

This part of the Linux architecture is where the action will happen for 

you as a security analyst. 

We introduced the shell with other components of the Linux OS earlier, 

but let's take a deeper look at what the shell is and what it does.

Play video starting at ::20 and follow transcript0:20

The shell is the command-line interpreter. 

That means it helps you communicate with the operating system through 

the command line. 

Previously, we discussed a command-line interface. 

This is essentially the shell. 

The shell provides the command-line interface for you to interact with the OS. 

To tell the OS what to do, you enter commands into this interface. 

A command is an instruction telling the computer to do something. 

The shell communicates with the kernel to execute these commands.

Play video starting at ::50 and follow transcript0:50

Earlier, we discussed how the operating system helps humans and 

computers speak with each other. 

The shell is the part of the OS that allows you to do this. 

Think of this as a very helpful language interpreter between you and your system. 

Since you do not speak computer language or binary, 

you can't directly communicate with your system. 

This is where the shell comes in to help you. 

Your OS doesn't need the shell for most of its work, but 

it is an interface between you and what your system can offer. 

It allows you to perform math, run tests, and execute applications. 

More importantly, it allows you to combine these operations and 

connect applications to each other 

to perform complex and automated tasks.

Play video starting at :1:31 and follow transcript1:31

Just as there are many Linux distributions, 

there are many different types of shells. 

We'll primarily focus on the Bash shell in this course. 

Let's continue to learn more about the shell.

Transcript language: English