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[Explore Stack Internal](https://stackoverflow.co/internal/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=askubuntu-community&utm_campaign=side-bar&utm_content=explore-teams-compact-popover) # [Bash for loop with range {\#..\#}](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range) [Ask Question](https://askubuntu.com/questions/ask) Asked 13 years, 7 months ago Modified [4 years, 4 months ago](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range?lastactivity "2021-10-29 15:56:43Z") Viewed 109k times This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear 25 Save this question. Show activity on this post. The {\#..\#} generate a sequence of numbers or chars, similarly to range() in Python. If I execute the command `echo {1..5}` in the command line I have: ``` 1 2 3 4 5 ``` Instead the following bash script doesn't work as expected. ``` for i in {1..3}; do echo "Iteration $i" done ``` will print: ``` Iteration {1..3} ``` Why? \*I could use `seq` but I read it's outdate (<http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/bash-for-loop/>) - [command-line](https://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/command-line "show questions tagged 'command-line'") - [bash](https://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/bash "show questions tagged 'bash'") [Share](https://askubuntu.com/q/166583 "Short permalink to this question") Share a link to this question Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this question](https://askubuntu.com/posts/166583/edit) Follow Follow this question to receive notifications asked Jul 22, 2012 at 3:09 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/27662/shake0) [Shake0](https://askubuntu.com/users/27662/shake0) 35311 gold badge44 silver badges66 bronze badges 1 - 3 This error occur if the script is executed by the "sh" command (try using "bash"). Shake0 – [Shake0](https://askubuntu.com/users/27662/shake0 "353 reputation") 2012-07-22 03:39:43 +00:00 [Commented Jul 22, 2012 at 3:39](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment204485_166583) [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid answering questions in comments.") \| ## 1 Answer 1 Sorted by: [Reset to default](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range?answertab=scoredesc#tab-top) This answer is useful 34 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. I've tried your code (copy paste into a terminal) and it produced a different result from what you posted: ``` for i in {1..3}; do echo "Iteration $i" done #---OUTPUT BELOW--- Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 ``` Im using Linux Mint 12 Lisa (derived from Ubuntu) with bash version *4\.2.10(1)-release* [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/166586 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/166586/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications answered Jul 22, 2012 at 3:26 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/39101/zipizap) [zipizap](https://askubuntu.com/users/39101/zipizap) 60455 silver badges1111 bronze badges 5 - 5 You are right! I thought sh and bash were the same thing.. Shake0 – [Shake0](https://askubuntu.com/users/27662/shake0 "353 reputation") 2012-07-22 03:36:27 +00:00 [Commented Jul 22, 2012 at 3:36](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment204484_166586) - 3 no, bash and sh are quite different... bash is more capable than sh, it was made on the shoulders of sh :) although they both have a good degree of compatibility, they also have its differences zipizap – [zipizap](https://askubuntu.com/users/39101/zipizap "604 reputation") 2013-12-12 14:13:10 +00:00 [Commented Dec 12, 2013 at 14:13](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment498570_166586) - 1 note that you can do nested lists like for var in {{i..j},{l..m}};do echo \$var;done if you need irregular sequence such as 1 2 3 7 8 9 brown.2179 – [brown.2179](https://askubuntu.com/users/279808/brown-2179 "101 reputation") 2014-05-09 15:34:23 +00:00 [Commented May 9, 2014 at 15:34](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment611222_166586) - Note that on some distros `/bin/sh` IS actually pointing at bash, on Debian and Ubuntu it is typically pointing to `/bin/dash` which is mostly POSIX compliant but doesn't support all the same syntax as Bash. dragon788 – [dragon788](https://askubuntu.com/users/318507/dragon788 "1,746 reputation") 2017-05-22 20:25:59 +00:00 [Commented May 22, 2017 at 20:25](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment1447842_166586) - As of Debian 12, there is a symlink /bin/sh -\> bash FLAK-ZOSO – [FLAK-ZOSO](https://askubuntu.com/users/1559059/flak-zoso "101 reputation") 2025-08-21 09:31:29 +00:00 [Commented Aug 21, 2025 at 9:31](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range#comment2734221_166586) [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/166583/bash-for-loop-with-range "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. 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This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear 25 Save this question. Show activity on this post. The {\#..\#} generate a sequence of numbers or chars, similarly to range() in Python. If I execute the command `echo {1..5}` in the command line I have: ``` 1 2 3 4 5 ``` Instead the following bash script doesn't work as expected. ``` for i in {1..3}; do echo "Iteration $i" done ``` will print: ``` Iteration {1..3} ``` Why? \*I could use `seq` but I read it's outdate (<http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/bash-for-loop/>) asked Jul 22, 2012 at 3:09 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/27662/shake0) 1 This answer is useful 34 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. I've tried your code (copy paste into a terminal) and it produced a different result from what you posted: ``` for i in {1..3}; do echo "Iteration $i" done #---OUTPUT BELOW--- Iteration 1 Iteration 2 Iteration 3 ``` Im using Linux Mint 12 Lisa (derived from Ubuntu) with bash version *4\.2.10(1)-release* answered Jul 22, 2012 at 3:26 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/39101/zipizap) 5 ## You must [log in](https://askubuntu.com/users/login?ssrc=question_page&returnurl=https%3A%2F%2Faskubuntu.com%2Fquestions%2F166583) to answer this question. Start asking to get answers Find the answer to your question by asking. [Ask question](https://askubuntu.com/questions/ask) Explore related questions See similar questions with these tags.