What is Bash Strict Mode?

Bash strict mode uses 'set -Eeuo pipefail' to cause scripts to exit immediately on errors, undefined variables, or pipe failures, preventing silent bugs and unexpected behavior.

How does this skill improve CI/CD pipelines?

By enforcing error trapping and idempotency, it ensures that automation scripts fail fast and clean up resources, significantly reducing deployment risks and environment drift.

Why is variable quoting important in Bash scripts?

Quoting variables (e.g., "$VAR") prevents word splitting and globbing issues, which are common sources of catastrophic errors when variables contain spaces or special characters.

Can this skill help with cross-platform script compatibility?

Yes, it includes patterns for safe path detection and provides guidance on POSIX vs. Bash-specific conditional handling to ensure script consistency across different environments.

Bash Defensive Patterns

Name: Bash Defensive Patterns
Author: HermeticOrmus

byHermeticOrmus

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Deployment & DevOps

Implements production-grade shell scripting techniques to ensure script reliability, safety, and fault tolerance.

About

The Bash Defensive Patterns skill provides Claude with specialized knowledge for writing robust, maintainable shell scripts. It covers critical safety standards like strict mode (set -Eeuo pipefail), error trapping, and secure variable handling to prevent common pitfalls in automation. By following these patterns, developers can create resilient CI/CD pipelines, system utilities, and deployment scripts that handle edge cases gracefully and minimize risks in production environments.

Key Features

Idempotent script design for reliable and repeatable execution
Structured logging and dry-run execution support for safer testing
Strict mode implementation (set -Eeuo pipefail) to catch errors early
Robust error trapping and cleanup routines using Bash traps
Safe variable, array, and file operation patterns to prevent data loss
2 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Developing cross-platform shell script libraries with consistent error handling
Building production-ready CI/CD automation pipelines
Creating resilient system administration and maintenance utilities

About

Key Features

Idempotent script design for reliable and repeatable execution
Structured logging and dry-run execution support for safer testing
Strict mode implementation (set -Eeuo pipefail) to catch errors early
Robust error trapping and cleanup routines using Bash traps
Safe variable, array, and file operation patterns to prevent data loss
2 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Developing cross-platform shell script libraries with consistent error handling
Building production-ready CI/CD automation pipelines
Creating resilient system administration and maintenance utilities