EC
2
BashERRORNotableExit CodeHIGH confidence

Misuse of shell builtins

What this means

Exit code 2 is returned by the shell itself to indicate the incorrect use of a shell builtin command. This is distinct from errors in external commands.

Why it happens
  1. 1Providing invalid arguments to a builtin command.
  2. 2Syntax errors related to a builtin.
How to reproduce

Using a builtin command like `cd` with an incorrect option.

trigger — this will error
trigger — this will error
#!/bin/bash
cd --invalid-option
echo "Exit: $?"

expected output

bash: cd: --invalid-option: invalid option
cd: usage: cd [-L|[-P [-e]] [-@]] [dir]
Exit: 2

Fix

Consult the documentation for the builtin

WHEN Encountering exit code 2

Consult the documentation for the builtin
help cd

Why this works

The `help` command provides the correct usage and options for shell builtins.

What not to do

✕ Treat it like an external command failure

The problem lies within the script's syntax, not with an external program.

Sources

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