name="line"
#a string in quotes may simply go on over several lines
twoLines="1. First $name
2. Second $name"
#a here-doc gives a command the text up to the END line;
#variables are expanded, a \ at the end of a line joins the lines
multilineString=$(cat <<END
1. First $name
2. Second \
$name
3. Third $name
4. Fourth "$name"
END
)
#with the quoted 'END' the text is taken as it is
rawString=$(cat <<'END'
5. Fifth $name
END
)
echo "$twoLines"
echo "$multilineString"
echo "$rawString"
#prints:
#1. First line
#2. Second line
# 1. First line
# 2. Second line
# 3. Third line
# 4. Fourth "line"
# 5. Fifth $name