How do I use variables in single quoted strings?

string bash shell echo
Pectus Excavatum picture Pectus Excavatum · Jan 17, 2014 · Viewed 50.6k times · Source

I am just wondering how I can echo a variable inside single quotes (I am using single quotes as the string has quotation marks in it).

     echo 'test text "here_is_some_test_text_$counter" "output"' >> ${FILE}

any help would be greatly appreciated

Answer

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams picture Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams · Jan 17, 2014

Variables are expanded in double quoted strings, but not in single quoted strings:

 $ name=World

 $ echo "Hello $name"
 Hello World

 $ echo 'Hello $name'
 Hello $name

If you can simply switch quotes, do so.

If you prefer sticking with single quotes to avoid the additional escaping, you can instead mix and match quotes in the same argument:

 $ echo 'single quoted. '"Double quoted. "'Single quoted again.'
 single quoted. Double quoted. Single quoted again.

 $ echo '"$name" has the value '"$name"
 "$name" has the value World

Applied to your case:

 echo 'test text "here_is_some_test_text_'"$counter"'" "output"' >> "$FILE"

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