How can I print a variable's value?
A simpler way to find a variable's value is to use a command called echo
, which prints its arguments. Typing
echo hello DataCamp!
prints
hello DataCamp!
If you try to use it to print a variable's value like this:
echo USER
it will print the variable's name, USER
.
To get the variable's value, you must put a dollar sign $
in front of it. Typing
echo $USER
prints
repl
This is true everywhere:
to get the value of a variable called X
,
you must write $X
.
(This is so that the shell can tell whether you mean "a file named X"
or "the value of a variable named X".)
This exercise is part of the course
Introduction to Shell
Exercise instructions
The variable OSTYPE
holds the name of the kind of operating system you are using.
Display its value using echo
.
Hands-on interactive exercise
Turn theory into action with one of our interactive exercises
