Created SC2244 (markdown)

Vidar Holen
2018-12-28 19:26:37 -08:00
parent 5c35136767
commit b55ab54d90

46
SC2244.md Normal file

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## Prefer explicit -n to check non-empty string (or use =/-ne to check boolean/integer).
### Problematic code:
```sh
if [ "$1" ]
then
echo "True"
fi
```
### Correct code:
```sh
# Check if $1 is empty or non-empty
if [ -n "$1" ]
then
echo "True, $1 is a non-empty value"
fi
# Check instead if $1 is true or false, as in Java
[ "$1" = "true" ]
# Check instead if $1 is non-zero or zero, as in C
[ "$1" -ne 0 ]
# Check instead if $1 is defined (even if just assigned the empty string) or undefined
[ "${1+x}" = "x" ]
```
### Rationale:
`[ "$var" ]` is equivalent to `[ -n "$var" ]` and checks whether the string is non-empty.
Users more familiar with other languages are therefore often surprised to learn that `[ "$var" ]` is true when `var=false` or `var=0`.
Adding the explicit `-n` helps clarify that this is a string comparison, and not related to any concept of boolean values or comparisons as it is in most languages.
### Exceptions:
If you are familiar with the semantics of `[`, you can [[ignore]] this suggestion with no ill effects.
### Related resources:
* Help by adding links to BashFAQ, StackOverflow, man pages, POSIX, etc!