Bash is indeed very limited on some aspects (and confusing/quirky on others, etc.etc.). Regarding the multiple ways though, I think it's a matter of good judgm

Bash is indeed very limited on some aspects (and confusing/quirky on others, etc.etc.). Regarding the multiple ways though, I think it's a matter of good judgment. Depending on the input, one may choose different tools - one should not forget that Bash is a glue language, intended to make tools work together.