[NTLUG:Discuss] The [ 32-bit ELF executable

[Chris Cox]

david wrote:
> Leroy Tennison wrote:
>> On SuSE 10.3 there is a /usr/bin/[ executable (yes, the name of the 
>> program is simply the open square bracket).  Doing a little research:
>>
>> file /usr/bin/[
>> /usr/bin/[: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), 
>> for GNU/Linux 2.6.4, dynamically linked (uses shared libs), stripped
>>
>> Is this how BASH implements [ ?
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>   
> It is shorthand for the "test" command.

True... historically, but test and [ are both built-ins for
bash.  So, the bracket is there for compatibility and for
shells that still would need this (not sure which ones on
Linux anymore though).