Retrieve your external IP using dig and bash.

Need your external I.P. address but are tired of going to [insert what's my i.p. website here]?, or are on your way to automate something related in bash?, here's a recipe that permits you to do just that:

In your bin directory, create a file and call it "myip".

/bin/touch myip

Edit the file with your favorite text editor.

/bin/nano myip

Insert the following instruction.

dig +short myip.opendns.com @resolver1.opendns.com

If you don't have dig installed, it's about time you did, it's an excellent network diagnostics tool.

sudo apt install dig

Apply necessary permissions.

/bin/chmod +rwx myip

If your bin directory is in your path environment variable like it already should, then you can just type "myip" from just anywhere and obtain your (IPV4) external address.

you@YOUR-COMPUTER:~$ myip
42.42.42.42
you@YOUR-COMPUTER:~$