Minishell is a custom shell project written in C that mimics the functionality of a basic Unix shell like Bash. It is part of the curriculum at 42 School, a renowned coding academy known for its peer-to-peer learning approach and project-based education. By completing this project, you will gain hands-on experience with process handling, file descriptors, and system calls, all while adhering to strict coding standards and conventions.
This shell supports essential features like command execution, redirections, pipelines, built-in commands, and signal handling, making it a valuable learning experience for understanding the inner workings of Unix-like systems.
- Customizable command prompt
- Command execution based on
$PATH - Support for piping (
|), input/output redirections (<,>,>>,<<) - Built-in commands:
echo,cd,pwd,export,unset,env,exit - Environment variable expansion and history management
- Proper handling of special characters and signals (e.g., Ctrl-C, Ctrl-D)
To set up and run Minishell, follow these steps:
-
Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/ivotints/minishell.git
-
Navigate into the project directory:
cd minishell -
Compile the project and run the shell:
make re run
This project is a key part of the 42 School curriculum, aimed at developing a deep understanding of Unix-based shell behavior and low-level programming in C. Through Minishell, you'll explore process creation, input/output redirection, signal handling, and command parsing. You'll also implement basic shell functionalities like built-in commands (cd, echo, env, etc.) and gain experience in managing memory, handling system calls, and creating an interactive command-line interface.
At 42, projects like Minishell are designed to encourage students to solve problems creatively, learn through collaboration, and write maintainable, error-free code. This hands-on project simulates a real-world environment, preparing students for advanced topics in system programming and beyond.