set Options: Make Scripts Safer

set options make scripts safer. Exit on error. Check variables. Useful.

Here's the thing: set options make scripts safer. Use them.

set -e: Exit on Error

#!/bin/bash
set -e
command1
command2

My take: set -e exits on error. Use it.

#!/bin/bash
set -u
echo "$undefined"  # Error

My take: set -u catches undefined variables. Use it.

#!/bin/bash
set -x
command

My take: set -x shows commands. Use for debugging.

#!/bin/bash
set -o pipefail
command1 | command2

My take: pipefail catches pipe failures. Use it.

#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail

My take: Use all together. Safer scripts.

Now that you understand set options, let's talk about trap Command.

Personal note: set options seemed unnecessary at first. Then I used them. Now I always use them. They prevent problems. Use them.