What happens when I execute a unix shell script using a '.' command?

Question

For example, when I say . .bashrc on my Linux command prompt, is there a corresponding binary/script that gets executed in place of the first dot? If the dot itself is a command, where is its location?

Answer 1

The . operator is shorthand for the source Bash builtin (as pointed out by John Kugelman below). Typing

help .

or

help source

at the Bash prompt will give you some information. For more on how source works, see http://www.ss64.com/bash/period.html.

Answer 2

Additionally I want to point out that you don't "execute" anything with it (in terms of fork/exec), which is very important (and probably the only reason '.' exists).