shell-scripting-bats-testing-patterns

name	shell-scripting-bats-testing-patterns
description	Use when adding or reviewing Bats tests for shell scripts, including fixtures, setup and teardown, exit-code assertions, output assertions, and CI-friendly shell test layout.

Shell Scripting Bats Testing Patterns

Use Bats when shell behavior is important enough to preserve with executable tests. Keep tests focused on observable CLI behavior rather than implementation details.

Recommended Layout

tests/
├── helpers/
│   └── test_helper.bash
├── fixtures/
└── script_name.bats

Test Pattern

#!/usr/bin/env bats

setup() {
  tmpdir="$(mktemp -d)"
}

teardown() {
  rm -rf -- "$tmpdir"
}

@test "prints usage for missing input" {
  run ./scripts/example.sh
  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
  [[ "$output" == *"Usage:"* ]]
}

Coverage Priorities

• successful invocation with representative inputs
• missing required arguments or environment variables
• invalid paths and permission failures
• dry-run behavior when supported
• cleanup behavior for temporary files
• shell portability matrix when the script claims POSIX support

Validation Report

End with the exact command and result:

## Bats Validation

- Command:
- Result:
- Not covered: