SHLVL – Incremented by one each time an instance of bash is started

commandline session $ 4.2.36 2 501—> echo $SHLVL 1 $ 4.2.36 3 502—> echo $SHLVL 1 $ 4.2.36 4 503—> bash $ 4.2.36 1 500—> echo $SHLVL 2 $ 4.2.36 2 501—> logout bash: logout: not login shell: use `exit’ $ 4.2.36 3 502—> exit exit $ 4.2.36 5 504—> echo $SHLVL 1 $ 4.2.36 …