bash-coding-standards

name	bash-coding-standards
description	Bash coding standards for production-grade scripts. Use whenever writing, reviewing, or refactoring Bash scripts/functions; whenever conducting a Bash code review; or whenever bash coding standards are referenced.

Bash Coding Standards

Production-grade standards for Bash 4+ scripts, split into concern-specific reference documents. Load the reference(s) relevant to the task instead of reading everything.

How to use this skill

• Implementing Bash — start with references/script-setup.md, then pull the reference matching what you're building (parsing args → argument-parsing.md, etc.).
• Reviewing Bash — walk the Review checklist below and open the reference for any category that has issues.
• Referencing the standards — cite the relevant bucket below.

Reference map

• script-setup.md - Starting any script; strict mode, shebang, script-dir detection
• variable-safety.md - Quoting, arrays, [[ ]], command substitution
• input-validation.md - Checking files, dirs, required vars, dependencies
• error-handling.md - Traps, cleanup, exit safety
• logging.md - Structured, leveled log output
• argument-parsing.md - CLI flags, usage text, named parameters
• file-operations.md - Safe move/remove, atomic writes, temp files
• function-design.md - Function templates
• idempotency-and-dry-run.md - Safe-to-rerun scripts, preview mode
• process-orchestration.md - Background jobs, signal handling
• linting.md - Running shellcheck; justifying disables

Review checklist

• Strict mode set -Eeuo pipefail present; expected non-zero exits handled (|| true) — script-setup.md
• Top-level constants are readonly — script-setup.md
• All variable expansions quoted; [[ ]] used; no cmd | while var loss — variable-safety.md
• Inputs validated (existence, permissions, required vars, deps) — input-validation.md
• ERR/EXIT traps with cleanup — error-handling.md
• Logging is structured and goes to stderr — logging.md
• Args parsed robustly with usage/help — argument-parsing.md
• File ops are safe/atomic; temp files use mktemp; no parsing ls — file-operations.md
• Functions use meaningful prefixes, local -r, and a main entry point — function-design.md
• Script is idempotent; supports dry-run where destructive — idempotency-and-dry-run.md
• Passes shellcheck — linting.md