I am working with a bash script that someone else wrote and I see the following line:cp -v  ${LOG_DIR}/${APPLICATION}\.*.log ${ARCHIVED_LOG_DIR}The files with which it's working are all named like:EXAMPLE.command1.logEXAMPLE.command2.logIs there any reason for the backslash escaping the dot since a dot isn't treated specially in filename expansions? What are the implications of doing this vs without the backslash as such?:cp -v  ${LOG_DIR}/${APPLICATION}.*.log ${ARCHIVED_LOG_DIR}
Is there any reason to escape a dot in a bash filename expansion?
bash;quoting
There is no difference.  The dot . is not a special shell character that needs quoting, and the backslash will simply be removed during quote removal.  This is true in most shells, not just bash.