Scripting languages are widely used in the IT industry. Programming with scripting languages, also known as scripting, has several advantages compared to programming with other types of languages in that scripts facilitate rapid program development; can automate high-level jobs or tasks very effectively; and can be used to compose various software components, even binaries, into more complex and powerful applications. This course introduces the principles of scripting, covers one or two selected scripting languages in depth, and illustrates the advanced use of scripting by extensive case studies in application areas such as system administration, web application development, graphical user interface development, and text processing.