If you’re interested, start the series with part 1.

If you’re on linux, you’re in luck. You’ve already got the latest bash for your release on your system. If you aren’t using it already, you just need to change your default shell to bash: run chsh -s /bin/bash.

If you’re on macos, it’s a bit more involved. The system bash is an unconscionably old version, and the newest macos releases default to zsh. You’ll need homebrew installed first to install the latest bash. Open a terminal and follow the directions on the homebrew site.

Once homebrew is installed, install bash with brew install bash.

Then, make bash your default shell. First you’ll need to add it to /etc/shells: run sudo -e /etc/shells. Add the following line to the end of the file and save:

/usr/local/bin/bash

Next, run chsh -s /usr/local/bin/bash. Every new terminal window will use the latest bash. Close your existing window, open a new one and run echo $BASH_VERSION to see what version you are on now. It should be a version of bash 5.

Continue with the next part, customizing bash.