wwerner / bashplate

Bashplate generates bash script boilerplate code for option parsing and validation

Bashplate

Bashplate generates bash boilerplate code for option parsing and validation.

Currently deployed here: https://bashplate.wolfgang-werner.net

Why? Each time (long enough to forget all the details after writing the last one) I need to write a shell script:

• 🧐 "I want this to be reuseable, so I'll use proper options & help messages"
• 🤔 "Hmmm, was it getopt or getopts? Which was the GNU and which the POSIX one? Shouldn't I use argbash?"
• 😤 "So how does the option spec need to look like? Why is that colon at the start again? Does the following option take an argument?" and so on.
• 😩 "How to I test if an argument was set? Reliably and portably?"

Now, I either:

• Copy an old script and fiddle around in it - bad, since there is stuff to remove, I could break things and I still need to think
• Read up on option parsing - bad, as it takes time and I have to decide between getopt, getopts and argbash
• Just skip parameterizing the script and hard code everything - bad, obviously

So basically, I try to hack myself into writing better scripts.

If you can relate, give it a spin.

Requirements

• POSIX compliance flavor, as I want to run in stripped down Docker containers
• GNU flavor with long opts support, as I like short opts for one offs when typing, long opts in scripts for readability.
• Minimum / No dependencies
• Easy to put on the web, so I cannot lose it & don't have to install anything.

Development

Contributions welcome.

• yarn install - Project setup
• yarn dev - Compiles and hot-reloads for development
• yarn build - Compiles and minifies for production
• yarn lint - Lints code style issues (& fixes them where possible)

Pushing to master deploys to https://bashplate.wolfgang-werner.net and https://bashplate.now.sh (until vercel decides to turn off now.sh).

bashplate's Issues

Consider merging GNU and POSIX templates and use getopt/getopts based on availability

Using this pattern, we can detect whether GNU getopt is available and use it:

getopt -T > /dev/null
if [ $? -eq 4 ]; then
    # GNU enhanced getopt is available
    set -- `getopt --long help,output:,version --options ho:v -- "$@"`
else
    # Original getopt is available
    set -- `getopt ho:v "$@"`
fi

Add header w/ link to GitHub

Use only an "Add Parameter" button and remove the new parameter row

Add default values false for flag variables

Add GNU getopt template w/ long opts

Default values are broken

Default values are rendered into the script, even when the 'flag' is active. For Flags, no default values should be rendered.

Increase long option maximum length

Add cookie consent for hotjar & GA

Add hotjar tracking to learn how people use bashplate

Flags should not be required

Suggestion:
If a parameter gets a "flag", the required flag should be removed (the required checkbox should be unchecked).

Exit code 0 is ignored (react branch)

Add a task

Add functions in the script for each argument having the 'Call' property set

Do not use the default value when the parameter is switched to a flag

Reproduce (in parameters):

• Set a the default value
• Enable flag

Add validation

Add validation & docs for tools required on the path