Agent skill
shellcheck-configuration
Master ShellCheck static analysis configuration and usage for shell script quality. Use when setting up linting infrastructure, fixing code issues, or ensuring script portability.
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SKILL.md
ShellCheck Configuration and Static Analysis
Comprehensive guidance for configuring and using ShellCheck to improve shell script quality, catch common pitfalls, and enforce best practices through static code analysis.
When to Use This Skill
- Setting up linting for shell scripts in CI/CD pipelines
- Analyzing existing shell scripts for issues
- Understanding ShellCheck error codes and warnings
- Configuring ShellCheck for specific project requirements
- Integrating ShellCheck into development workflows
- Suppressing false positives and configuring rule sets
- Enforcing consistent code quality standards
- Migrating scripts to meet quality gates
ShellCheck Fundamentals
What is ShellCheck?
ShellCheck is a static analysis tool that analyzes shell scripts and detects problematic patterns. It supports:
- Bash, sh, dash, ksh, and other POSIX shells
- Over 100 different warnings and errors
- Configuration for target shell and flags
- Integration with editors and CI/CD systems
Installation
bash
# macOS with Homebrew
brew install shellcheck
# Ubuntu/Debian
apt-get install shellcheck
# From source
git clone https://github.com/koalaman/shellcheck.git
cd shellcheck
make build
make install
# Verify installation
shellcheck --version
Configuration Files
.shellcheckrc (Project Level)
Create .shellcheckrc in your project root:
# Specify target shell
shell=bash
# Enable optional checks
enable=avoid-nullary-conditions
enable=require-variable-braces
# Disable specific warnings
disable=SC1091
disable=SC2086
Environment Variables
bash
# Set default shell target
export SHELLCHECK_SHELL=bash
# Enable strict mode
export SHELLCHECK_STRICT=true
# Specify configuration file location
export SHELLCHECK_CONFIG=~/.shellcheckrc
Common ShellCheck Error Codes
SC1000-1099: Parser Errors
bash
# SC1004: Backslash continuation not followed by newline
echo hello\
world # Error - needs line continuation
# SC1008: Invalid data for operator `=='
if [[ $var = "value" ]]; then # Space before ==
true
fi
SC2000-2099: Shell Issues
bash
# SC2009: Consider using pgrep or pidof instead of grep|grep
ps aux | grep -v grep | grep myprocess # Use pgrep instead
# SC2012: Use `ls` only for viewing. Use `find` for reliable output
for file in $(ls -la) # Better: use find or globbing
# SC2015: Avoid using && and || instead of if-then-else
[[ -f "$file" ]] && echo "found" || echo "not found" # Less clear
# SC2016: Expressions don't expand in single quotes
echo '$VAR' # Literal $VAR, not variable expansion
# SC2026: This word is non-standard. Set POSIXLY_CORRECT
# when using with scripts for other shells
SC2100-2199: Quoting Issues
bash
# SC2086: Double quote to prevent globbing and word splitting
for i in $list; do # Should be: for i in $list or for i in "$list"
echo "$i"
done
# SC2115: Literal tilde in path not expanded. Use $HOME instead
~/.bashrc # In strings, use "$HOME/.bashrc"
# SC2181: Check exit code directly with `if`, not indirectly in a list
some_command
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then # Better: if some_command; then
# SC2206: Quote to prevent word splitting or set IFS
array=( $items ) # Should use: array=( $items )
SC3000-3999: POSIX Compliance Issues
bash
# SC3010: In POSIX sh, use 'case' instead of 'cond && foo'
[[ $var == "value" ]] && do_something # Not POSIX
# SC3043: In POSIX sh, use 'local' is undefined
function my_func() {
local var=value # Not POSIX in some shells
}
Practical Configuration Examples
Minimal Configuration (Strict POSIX)
bash
#!/bin/bash
# Configure for maximum portability
shellcheck \
--shell=sh \
--external-sources \
--check-sourced \
script.sh
Development Configuration (Bash with Relaxed Rules)
bash
#!/bin/bash
# Configure for Bash development
shellcheck \
--shell=bash \
--exclude=SC1091,SC2119 \
--enable=all \
script.sh
CI/CD Integration Configuration
bash
#!/bin/bash
set -Eeuo pipefail
# Analyze all shell scripts and fail on issues
find . -type f -name "*.sh" | while read -r script; do
echo "Checking: $script"
shellcheck \
--shell=bash \
--format=gcc \
--exclude=SC1091 \
"$script" || exit 1
done
.shellcheckrc for Project
# Shell dialect to analyze against
shell=bash
# Enable optional checks
enable=avoid-nullary-conditions,require-variable-braces,check-unassigned-uppercase
# Disable specific warnings
# SC1091: Not following sourced files (many false positives)
disable=SC1091
# SC2119: Use function_name instead of function_name -- (arguments)
disable=SC2119
# External files to source for context
external-sources=true
Integration Patterns
Pre-commit Hook Configuration
bash
#!/bin/bash
# .git/hooks/pre-commit
#!/bin/bash
set -e
# Find all shell scripts changed in this commit
git diff --cached --name-only | grep '\.sh$' | while read -r script; do
echo "Linting: $script"
if ! shellcheck "$script"; then
echo "ShellCheck failed on $script"
exit 1
fi
done
GitHub Actions Workflow
yaml
name: ShellCheck
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
shellcheck:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v3
- name: Run ShellCheck
run: |
sudo apt-get install shellcheck
find . -type f -name "*.sh" -exec shellcheck {} \;
GitLab CI Pipeline
yaml
shellcheck:
stage: lint
image: koalaman/shellcheck-alpine
script:
- find . -type f -name "*.sh" -exec shellcheck {} \;
allow_failure: false
Handling ShellCheck Violations
Suppressing Specific Warnings
bash
#!/bin/bash
# Disable warning for entire line
# shellcheck disable=SC2086
for file in $(ls -la); do
echo "$file"
done
# Disable for entire script
# shellcheck disable=SC1091,SC2119
# Disable multiple warnings (format varies)
command_that_fails() {
# shellcheck disable=SC2015
[ -f "$1" ] && echo "found" || echo "not found"
}
# Disable specific check for source directive
# shellcheck source=./helper.sh
source helper.sh
Common Violations and Fixes
SC2086: Double quote to prevent word splitting
bash
# Problem
for i in $list; do done
# Solution
for i in $list; do done # If $list is already quoted, or
for i in "${list[@]}"; do done # If list is an array
SC2181: Check exit code directly
bash
# Problem
some_command
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
echo "success"
fi
# Solution
if some_command; then
echo "success"
fi
SC2015: Use if-then instead of && ||
bash
# Problem
[ -f "$file" ] && echo "exists" || echo "not found"
# Solution - clearer intent
if [ -f "$file" ]; then
echo "exists"
else
echo "not found"
fi
SC2016: Expressions don't expand in single quotes
bash
# Problem
echo 'Variable value: $VAR'
# Solution
echo "Variable value: $VAR"
SC2009: Use pgrep instead of grep
bash
# Problem
ps aux | grep -v grep | grep myprocess
# Solution
pgrep -f myprocess
Performance Optimization
Checking Multiple Files
bash
#!/bin/bash
# Sequential checking
for script in *.sh; do
shellcheck "$script"
done
# Parallel checking (faster)
find . -name "*.sh" -print0 | \
xargs -0 -P 4 -n 1 shellcheck
Caching Results
bash
#!/bin/bash
CACHE_DIR=".shellcheck_cache"
mkdir -p "$CACHE_DIR"
check_script() {
local script="$1"
local hash
local cache_file
hash=$(sha256sum "$script" | cut -d' ' -f1)
cache_file="$CACHE_DIR/$hash"
if [[ ! -f "$cache_file" ]]; then
if shellcheck "$script" > "$cache_file" 2>&1; then
touch "$cache_file.ok"
else
return 1
fi
fi
[[ -f "$cache_file.ok" ]]
}
find . -name "*.sh" | while read -r script; do
check_script "$script" || exit 1
done
Output Formats
Default Format
bash
shellcheck script.sh
# Output:
# script.sh:1:3: warning: foo is referenced but not assigned. [SC2154]
GCC Format (for CI/CD)
bash
shellcheck --format=gcc script.sh
# Output:
# script.sh:1:3: warning: foo is referenced but not assigned.
JSON Format (for parsing)
bash
shellcheck --format=json script.sh
# Output:
# [{"file": "script.sh", "line": 1, "column": 3, "level": "warning", "code": 2154, "message": "..."}]
Quiet Format
bash
shellcheck --format=quiet script.sh
# Returns non-zero if issues found, no output otherwise
Best Practices
- Run ShellCheck in CI/CD - Catch issues before merging
- Configure for your target shell - Don't analyze bash as sh
- Document exclusions - Explain why violations are suppressed
- Address violations - Don't just disable warnings
- Enable strict mode - Use
--enable=allwith careful exclusions - Update regularly - Keep ShellCheck current for new checks
- Use pre-commit hooks - Catch issues locally before pushing
- Integrate with editors - Get real-time feedback during development
Resources
- ShellCheck GitHub: https://github.com/koalaman/shellcheck
- ShellCheck Wiki: https://www.shellcheck.net/wiki/
- Error Code Reference: https://www.shellcheck.net/
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