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Zaki Arrozi Arsyad
Zaki Arrozi Arsyad

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linux : bash script conditions

Basic usage of if statement in bash scripting

if [ CONDITION ]; then
    FIRST_COMMANDS
elif [ CONDITION ]; then
    SECOND_COMMANDS
else
    THRID_COMMANDS
fi
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  • Always use space between the brackets in the condition.
  • Always terminate the line with ; before adding a new keyword

    if [ CONDITION ]; then

  • Use ! to invert the condition

    if [ ! CONDITION ]; then

  • Combine conditions using -a for AND, and -o for OR


There are three syntaxes for define the condition

1. Single-bracket

Support 3 types of conditions

File-based condition

  • [ -a file ] or [ -e file ] : if the file is exists
  • [ -d directory ] : if the directory is exists and it's a directory
  • [ -r file ] : if the file is exists and is readable to the script
  • [ -w file ] : if the file is exists and is writeable to the script
  • [ -x file ] : if the file is exists and is executable to the script
  • [ -s file ] : if the file is exists and has a size of more than 0 bytes

  • [ file1 -ef file2] : if the files refer to the same device/inode number

  • [ file1 -nt file2] : if the file1 was changed more recently than file2, or if file1 exists and file2 doesn't

  • [ file1 -nt file2] : if the file1 was changed longer ago than file2, or if file1 exists and exists

  • [ -N file ] : if the file is exists and was modified after the last read

  • [ -g file ] : if the file is exists and is a set-group-ID

  • [ -u file ] : if the file is exists and is a set-user-ID

  • [ -G file ] : if the file is exists and is owned by the effective group ID

  • [ -O file ] : if the file is exists and is owned by the user executing the script

  • [ -b file ] : if the file is exists and is a block special

  • [ -c file ] : if the file is exists and is a character special

  • [ -f file ] : if the file is exists and is a regular file

  • [ -h file ] or [ -L file ] : if the file is exists and is a symbolic link

  • [ -k file ] : if the file is exists and has its sticky bit set

  • [ -p file ] : if the file is exists and is a named pipe

  • [ -S file ] : if the file is exists and is a socket

  • [ -t file ] : if the file descriptor is exists and refers to an open terminal

String-based condition

  • [ STRING1 == STRING2 ] : if equal
  • [ STRING1 != STRING2 ] : if not equal
  • [ -n STRING ] : if has length of more than zero
  • [ -z STRING ] : if an empty string
  • [ STRING =~ PATTERN ] : if match the regex pattern

Arithmetic condition

  • [ NUM1 -eq NUM2 ] : if equal
  • [ NUM1 -ne NUM2 ] : if not equal
  • [ NUM1 -gt NUM2 ] : if greater than
  • [ NUM1 -ge NUM2 ] : if greater than equal
  • [ NUM1 -lt NUM2 ] : if less than
  • [ NUM1 -le NUM2 ] : if less than equal

2. Double-bracket

This is the enhanced version of single-bracket. All features in single-bracket syntax are compatible here. We can start using this syntax.

The differences :

  • Can use regex

    [[ STRING =~ PATTERN ]] : if match the regex pattern

  • Can use && and || instead of -a and -o

3. Double-parenthesis

This is another syntax for arithmetic condition

  • (( NUM1 == NUM2 )) : if equal
  • (( NUM1 != NUM2 )) : if not equal
  • (( NUM1 > NUM2 )) : if grater than
  • (( NUM1 >= NUM2 )) : if grater than equal
  • (( NUM1 < NUM2 )) : if less than
  • (( NUM1 <= NUM2 )) : if less than equal

We also can quickly test a condition like this

# using &&
[ $foo == "bar" ] && echo true

# using ||
[ $foo == "bar" ] || echo true
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Top comments (2)

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moopet profile image
Ben Sinclair

You list [ STRING =~ PATTERN ] in your single-bracket conditions, but then go on to say it's different in double-bracket conditions. What did you mean?

I think the main benefit of using single-brackets is that those conditions will likely work in other shells, even if they're not as powerful.

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zakiarsyad profile image
Zaki Arrozi Arsyad

Nice catch man, thanks.
Updated. That regex should work with double brackets [[ STRING =~ PATTERN ]]