I often find multi-line Python scripts with `import os` and others that could be a fraction in size (and just as clear) in bash. Even more ridiculous are the times I find a node script (published to npm, even) that is little more than a wrapper on a shell script.
Inevitably someone will read these arguments and think “those are just bad programmers”, but your point was that you “don't see the value of learning shell scripting”. The value is in not spewing absurd code like that. Shell commands are fast and efficient. There isn’t an emphasis on libraries because instead you use tools. Is `grep` not enough? Try `the silver searcher`[1] or `ripgrep`[2].
Are shell scripts the best instrument for every job? No, but no tool is.
Just because someone knows shell scripting I'm not going to consider them "bad programmers". I know it myself and I've used it extensively before I learned python & ruby.
My point is that the cost for learning and using shell scripts is just too high compared to just using a modern language that's just as terse and a lot more powerful and flexible. Context switching from one language to another isn't free either.
imo the only time shell scripting was practical was when the only major programming languages were C, C++, and Java. imo even Perl5 is more practical than shell scripting.
Also I doubt that the python program you mentioned was that much bigger than a shell script
Inevitably someone will read these arguments and think “those are just bad programmers”, but your point was that you “don't see the value of learning shell scripting”. The value is in not spewing absurd code like that. Shell commands are fast and efficient. There isn’t an emphasis on libraries because instead you use tools. Is `grep` not enough? Try `the silver searcher`[1] or `ripgrep`[2].
Are shell scripts the best instrument for every job? No, but no tool is.
[1]: https://github.com/ggreer/the_silver_searcher
[2]: https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep