I will use the word `bash` for convenience. `bash` is powerful because it is convenient. `bash` is also powerful because it doesn't tell users how to behave or what to do. `bash` is all about empowering the user. That is what makes it great. `bash` is a meta language for the convenience and the empowerment of programmers. Over time, impossible tasks become trivial. You start off by using `bash` to create simple models of larger/more complex problems, then you adopt pipes and redirection, and eventually you don't need much handholding and you are 10x better at modeling problems, mocking designs, and general problem solving. Will there be 8 hour days to understand some simple concepts? Sure. Do they pay off? Yes. Absolutely yes. Undergraduate computer science background makes bash even more useful and helpful. Outside of college learning, you might be able to grok some things using man pages, tutorials, and various resources (like books).