Jamf Blog

Scripting basics for everyone

This step-by-step guide, based on Bill Smith's popular Scripting 101 for Apple Admins webinar, is written specifically for beginners.

You know that scripting will help you to simplify, automate and error-proof your Apple device management, but do you find the idea of scripting overwhelming? Do you not even know where to start? Are you kind of terrified of scripting?

This step-by-step guide, based on Bill Smith's popular Scripting 101 for Apple Admins webinar, is written just for you. Designed to be read while working through each section in your own Terminal window, it will teach you several commands and scripts as well as pointing you in the direction of where to find new ones as you go through your tasks and identify which ones would be best automated.

The guide emphasizes the importance of understanding scripting and Terminal and creating very small scripts to start. It also contains resources for expanding your knowledge, and suggestions for how to move forward in your self-education on scripting.

The guide walks beginners through:

  • Why scripting?
  • How Terminal works
  • How commands work
  • How to fit basic commands into basic scripts
  • Scripting syntax basics such as commands, arguments and variables

You'll find scripts that can help you with your workflow and you'll discover how Jamf Pro can enhance scripts — such as creating automatic operating system (OS) updates using policies.

The important thing to remember about scripting is that you don't have to be an expert right away. Most admins who script have learned slowly as they identified ways in which scripting might help their workflow, and you can, too. You definitely don't even have to be an intermediate user right away. You can start with something as simple as opening a file.

So what's stopping you? Download this guide today — face that fear and discover how easy scripting can be!

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