Comparison of Unix shells

Posted by Andy White on Server Fault See other posts from Server Fault or by Andy White
Published on 2009-05-07T06:08:57Z Indexed on 2012/07/05 15:18 UTC
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linux

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unix

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shell

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Of the major Unix shells (bash, ksh, tcsh, zsh, others?), are there any compelling reasons to use one over another?

Which is the most interactive/command-line friendly?
Which is the most conducive/intuitive for writing scripts?
Are there any major built-in features that one shell offers that others don't?
Are any of these shells really good for one type of function, but not another? Or are they all pretty well-rounded/flexible?
Is it just a matter of personal preference?

I can make this community wiki if anyone prefers.

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