Bash Script Template

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Generate bash script templates with best practices including error handling, argument parsing, logging, and portability considerations.

Instructions available. Your AI can read the instructions. Execution depends on the setup they require.

Add ahel to your AI once: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code or Codex. Then ask it to use this.

Then ask your AI: use the Bash Script Template skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by a5c-ai/babysitter in library/specializations/cli-mcp-development/skills/bash-script-template/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Generate bash script templates with best practices.

Capabilities

  • Generate robust bash script templates
  • Set up proper error handling
  • Implement argument parsing with getopts
  • Create logging utilities
  • Configure strict mode settings
  • Generate reusable function libraries

Usage

Invoke this skill when you need to:

  • Create new bash scripts with best practices
  • Set up proper error handling patterns
  • Implement argument parsing
  • Create portable shell scripts

Inputs

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
scriptNamestringYesScript name
descriptionstringYesScript description
argumentsarrayNoScript arguments
functionsarrayNoFunctions to include

Generated Template

#!/usr/bin/env bash
#
# <scriptName> - <description>
#
# Usage: <scriptName> [options] <arguments>
#

set -euo pipefail
IFS=$'\n\t'

# Script directory
readonly SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
readonly SCRIPT_NAME="$(basename "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")"

# Colors (if terminal supports)
if [[ -t 1 ]]; then
    readonly RED='\033[0;31m'
    readonly GREEN='\033[0;32m'
    readonly YELLOW='\033[0;33m'
    readonly BLUE='\033[0;34m'
    readonly NC='\033[0m'
else
    readonly RED='' GREEN='' YELLOW='' BLUE='' NC=''
fi

# Logging functions
log_info() { echo -e "${BLUE}[INFO]${NC} $*"; }
log_success() { echo -e "${GREEN}[OK]${NC} $*"; }
log_warn() { echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARN]${NC} $*" >&2; }
log_error() { echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} $*" >&2; }
die() { log_error "$*"; exit 1; }

# Cleanup on exit
cleanup() {
    # Add cleanup tasks here
    :
}
trap cleanup EXIT

# Usage
usage() {
    cat <<EOF
Usage: ${SCRIPT_NAME} [options] <argument>

<description>

Options:
    -h, --help      Show this help message
    -v, --verbose   Enable verbose output
    -d, --dry-run   Show what would be done
    -f, --force     Force operation
    -o, --output    Output file path

Arguments:
    argument        Required argument description

Examples:
    ${SCRIPT_NAME} -v input.txt
    ${SCRIPT_NAME} --output result.txt input.txt
EOF
}

# Parse arguments
parse_args() {
    local OPTIND opt
    while getopts ":hvdfo:-:" opt; do
        case "${opt}" in
            h) usage; exit 0 ;;
            v) VERBOSE=true ;;
            d) DRY_RUN=true ;;
            f) FORCE=true ;;
            o) OUTPUT="${OPTARG}" ;;
            -)
                case "${OPTARG}" in
                    help) usage; exit 0 ;;
                    verbose) VERBOSE=true ;;
                    dry-run) DRY_RUN=true ;;
                    force) FORCE=true ;;
                    output=*) OUTPUT="${OPTARG#*=}" ;;
                    *) die "Unknown option: --${OPTARG}" ;;
                esac
                ;;
            :) die "Option -${OPTARG} requires an argument" ;;
            ?) die "Unknown option: -${OPTARG}" ;;
        esac
    done
    shift $((OPTIND - 1))

    # Required arguments
    if [[ $# -lt 1 ]]; then
        usage
        die "Missing required argument"
    fi

    ARGUMENT="$1"
}

# Defaults
VERBOSE=${VERBOSE:-false}
DRY_RUN=${DRY_RUN:-false}
FORCE=${FORCE:-false}
OUTPUT=${OUTPUT:-}

# Main function
main() {
    parse_args "$@"

    if [[ "${VERBOSE}" == true ]]; then
        log_info "Verbose mode enabled"
    fi

    if [[ "${DRY_RUN}" == true ]]; then
        log_warn "Dry run mode - no changes will be made"
    fi

    log_info "Processing: ${ARGUMENT}"

    # Main logic here

    log_success "Done!"
}

main "$@"

Target Processes

  • shell-script-development
  • cross-platform-cli-compatibility
  • cli-application-bootstrap

Signals

GitHub stars
2k
Forks
112
Last commit
Sep 2026
Advanced
Item type
skill
Key
bash-script-template
Source
github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter