shell-style-guide

name	shell-style-guide
description	Enforce Tracee shell standards with shellcheck and shfmt. Use when editing shell scripts, YAML run blocks, or shell code blocks in markdown.

Shell Style Guide

Quick Start

Apply these requirements for any shell work:

1. ShellCheck must pass with zero errors.
2. Format with shfmt based on shell type.
3. Use braces for variable expansion (${var}).
4. Keep scripts/lib*.sh POSIX sh compatible.

Commands

• Bash file:
  • shfmt -i 4 -ci -bn -sr -w <file>
  • shellcheck -s bash <file>
• POSIX sh file:
  • shfmt -p -i 4 -ci -bn -sr -w <file>
  • shellcheck -s sh <file>
• Library file:
  • shfmt -p -i 4 -ci -bn -sr -w scripts/lib_example.sh
  • shellcheck -s sh -x scripts/lib_example.sh

Core Rules

• Use #!/bin/bash for executables unless strict POSIX compatibility is required.
• Use #!/bin/sh for scripts/lib*.sh.
• Do not use Bash-only features in POSIX sh (local, arrays, [[ ]], process substitution).
• Quote expansions and use explicit error handling (set -euo pipefail for Bash, set -eu for POSIX).
• For POSIX sh helper variables in non-library scripts, use single underscore namespacing.

Detailed Reference

For the complete Tracee shell style details, see reference.md.