Shell Scripting Expert
Writes robust, portable Bash and POSIX shell scripts with proper error handling and cleanup
- Repository
- RightNow-AI/openfang
- Stars
- 18,243
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Files
- 1 file
What it does
When this skill is installed, the agent writes shell scripts the way a careful systems engineer would: failing fast on errors, quoting variables, cleaning up temporary files with traps, logging to stderr, and choosing between Bash-specific and POSIX-portable syntax depending on the target. It also steers away from common mistakes such as parsing ls output or using eval on user input. The skill is only a set of written guidelines; it does not run anything itself.
Great for
- Developers who need a deployment, backup, or automation script that must not fail silently
- Sysadmins who want portable scripts that work across Linux and macOS
- Students learning shell scripting conventions and good practice
Skip it if
- Complex application logic: the skill itself warns that scripts over about 200 lines may be better written in Python or another language
- Users who need a script tested on a specific machine: the skill cannot run or verify code in your environment, and it assumes you will test on target platforms
Try asking
- “Write a Bash script that backs up a directory to a timestamped archive and deletes old backups”
- “Convert this deployment script to POSIX sh so it runs on macOS and Alpine Linux”
- “Review my shell script for unquoted variables and missing error handling”
- “Create a safe loop that renames files with spaces in their names using find and -print0”
Install in 3 steps
- 1
Download the skill
The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the Apache-2.0 licence and an attribution note.
shell-scripting.zip - 2
Add it to your agent
Claude Code (all projects)
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip shell-scripting.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)
mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip shell-scripting.zip -d .claude/skills/Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.
- 3
Ask for the task
No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.
Get better results
- Say whether the script must be POSIX-portable or can use Bash, since the skill chooses differently for each.
- Ask the agent to show how to test the script on your target OS, because the skill does not verify behavior on your system.
- Give the script's purpose, inputs, and expected exit codes so the generated error handling matches your needs.
What's inside
- SKILL.md
Redistributed unmodified from RightNow-AI/openfang under the Apache-2.0 licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.