EC
2
BashERRORNotableScriptingHIGH confidence

Syntax error

What this means

A syntax error is reported by the shell when it parses a script and finds code that violates its grammatical rules. The script cannot be executed until the syntax is corrected.

Why it happens
  1. 1Missing keywords like `do`, `done`, `fi`, `then`.
  2. 2Mismatched quotes or parentheses.
  3. 3Using operators or commands incorrectly.
How to reproduce

A script has an unclosed `if` statement.

trigger — this will error
trigger — this will error
#!/bin/bash
# Missing 'then'
if [ 1 -eq 1 ]
  echo "equal"
fi

expected output

bash: myscript.sh: line 4: syntax error near unexpected token 'fi'
bash: myscript.sh: line 4: 'fi'

Fix 1

Run the script with `bash -n`

WHEN Debugging a syntax error

Run the script with `bash -n`
bash -n your_script.sh

Why this works

The `-n` option tells bash to read the script and check for syntax errors without executing it. This is a safe way to validate a script's syntax.

Fix 2

Use a linter

WHEN Developing scripts

Use a linter
shellcheck your_script.sh

Why this works

Tools like ShellCheck are static analysis tools that can find a wide range of syntax errors and common scripting pitfalls.

What not to do

✕ Add or remove lines randomly until it works

This can hide the real issue or introduce new bugs. It is better to understand the reason for the syntax error.

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