Difference b/w getting output to array in bash using `command` vs ($(command))

Question

What is difference b/w these two command and output variable:

output=($(command))

And

output=`command`

Reinier Torenbeek · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-29 06:57:23Z

4

In the first case, the resulting variable is an array, with the number of elements depending on the output of your command. In the second case, it is a scalar containing the complete result value. This difference is only due to the extra outer brackets in the first case.

Try it with, for example, the ls command to see the difference.

Additionally, the $(command) form has superseded the 'command' form for command substitution.

edited Jan 29, 2013 at 6:57

answered Jan 29, 2013 at 6:48

Reinier Torenbeek

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nameless · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-29 06:52:15Z

1

The only difference is that $() calls can be nested, AFAIR (okay, backticks can be nested too, but you have to escape all nested backticks, so $() provides nicer syntax).

edited Jan 29, 2013 at 6:52

answered Jan 29, 2013 at 6:45

nameless

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