Parameter expansions - basics

name="John"
echo "${name}"
echo "${name/J/j}"    #=> "john" (substitution)
echo "${name:0:2}"    #=> "Jo" (slicing)
echo "${name::2}"     #=> "Jo" (slicing)
echo "${name::-1}"    #=> "Joh" (slicing)
echo "${name:(-1)}"   #=> "n" (slicing from right)
echo "${name:(-2):1}" #=> "h" (slicing from right)
echo "${food:-Cake}"  #=> $food or "Cake"

length=2
echo "${name:0:length}"  #=> "Jo"