Minishell Project
A custom Unix shell built from scratch in C. Replicates core Bash functionalities including command execution, piping, redirections, and environment variable management with strict memory control.
Overview
Minishell is a deep dive into how operating systems handle command execution and process control. By building a custom shell from scratch in C, we replicated core Unix behaviors — from parsing user input to executing commands, managing processes, and handling pipes and redirections with precision.
Technical depth
The project focuses on accurate shell behavior, including command parsing, quoting rules, environment variable expansion, and signal handling (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+D, Ctrl+\). It implements pipes, input/output redirections, and process creation using fork/exec, while ensuring memory safety and robust error handling across edge cases.
What we learned
This project strengthened our understanding of low-level system programming: process lifecycle, inter-process communication (pipes), file descriptors, and POSIX standards. It also improved our ability to manage complex parsing logic, handle signals correctly, and write clean, reliable C code under strict constraints — essential skills for systems and backend engineering.
key features & competencies
- Command execution with pipelines and redirections
- Environment variable handling aligned with shell semantics
- Memory-safe discipline appropriate to low-level C code
- Strong foundation for backend and infrastructure work
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