dgt_bash03 – Command exit status

Module Title: dgt_bash03 – Command Exit Status

module Overview:
In this module, you will delve into the intricacies of understanding and utilizing command exit statuses in Bash scripting. This module is designed for individuals who have a foundational knowledge of Linux and Bash scripting and are looking to enhance their skills by mastering how to interpret and leverage command exit codes effectively.

Key Learning Objectives:

Understand Exit Status Basics:
Learn what an exit status is, including its significance in indicating the success or failure of commands.
Explore common exit statuses 0 for success, non-zero for error and how they can be interpreted.
Interpreting Exit Codes:
Discover techniques to read and understand different exit codes that might be returned by various system commands.
Gain insights into standard conventions and specific meanings associated with certain exit codes.
Practical Examples of Capture:
Acquire skills in capturing the exit code of a command using $? and other methods like set -o pipefail.
Analyze examples that demonstrate how to handle and respond to different exit statuses within scripts.
Conditional Execution Based on Exit Status:
Learn how to use conditional statements e.g., if-else in Bash scripts to perform actions based on the success or failure of commands.
Explore advanced scripting techniques for robust error handling.
Real-world Scripting Scenarios:
Engage with real-life scenarios where understanding and using exit codes is crucial, such as automating backups, system maintenance tasks, and deployment processes.
Best Practices:
Discover best practices for writing scripts that make effective use of command exit statuses to ensure reliability and maintainability.
Learn how to document your code with comments on expected exit statuses for better clarity and collaboration.

module Content:

Introduction to Exit Codes:
A comprehensive guide to the basics of exit codes in Unix-like systems, including theoretical knowledge and practical implications.
Capturing and Using Exit Codes:
Step-by-step examples demonstrating how to capture exit codes within scripts using various techniques and tools available in Bash.
Practical Examples:
Example Scripts:
- Simple Command Execution: Scripting scenarios that check the success of basic commands.
- Error Handling: Implementing error handling strategies by capturing non-zero exit statuses and responding accordingly.
- Complex Workflows: Managing complex scripts where multiple commands are chained, ensuring proper execution based on individual command outcomes.
Interactive Exercises:
Engage in hands-on exercises to practice writing and debugging Bash scripts that effectively utilize command exit statuses.

Target Audience:
This module is ideal for system administrators, DevOps professionals, developers, and IT enthusiasts who wish to deepen their understanding of Bash scripting, particularly focusing on the practical use of command exit statuses.

By the end of this module, participants will have a solid grasp of how to write more effective and reliable Bash scripts by leveraging the power of command exit statuses.
The students can push their exercises to the Academy DevOps & SRE GIT project. For this module, create a folder with your username as its name in the following subfolder: https://github.com/Garanti-Del-Talento/gdt_academy