The goal of this repository is to document known and unknown methods of doing various tasks using only built-in bash features. Using the snippets from this guide can help to remove unneeded dependencies from your scripts and in most cases make them that little bit faster.

I often start out with a bash script, but as soon as things get complicated I ditch it for Ruby. With this collection in hand, perhaps I can get a bit more done without throwing the baby out with the bash water.

Bash is not a language where the correct way to do something is also the easiest. If there is anything like a driver’s license for writing bash, it must be rule zero of BashPitfalls: Always use quotes.

Bookmark this before you accidentally shoot yourself in the bashing foot.

A tutorial for adding bash completion to scripts using the bash programmable completion facilities.

Why bother?

• to save users from typing text when it can be auto-completed
• to help users know what are the available continuations to their commands
• to prevent errors and improve their experience by hiding or showing options based on what users have already typed

I’m a tab-completion junkie, so the more people that know how to do this, the better!

Amjith shares a simple git alias he uses to resume work from where he left off. Perhaps you’ll find it useful, too.