# Input

Input: Arguments: $1, $# and "$@", Asking Questions: read.

Updated: November 10, 2026

1. [Arguments: $1, $# and "$@"](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-script-arguments) (Apprentice): The words typed after a script's name are its arguments: $1 is the first, $2 the second, $# says how many there are, and "$@" hands all of them on, each in one piece.
2. [Asking Questions: read](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-reading-input) (Apprentice): read waits for the user to type a line and keeps it in a variable: -p shows a question first, -s hides what's typed, and ${name:-default} gives an answer that was left empty a default.

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-input