How to Debug a Bash Script in 2025?

Debugging a Bash script can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and techniques, you can efficiently identify and fix issues. As of 2025, several methods have proven effective in streamlining this process.

1. Use Bash’s Built-in Debugging Options

Bash offers several built-in options to help with debugging:

• -x Option: This prints each command and its arguments to the terminal as they are executed, which is useful for tracking down where a script might be failing.

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  bash -x yourscript.sh

• -v Option: This prints each line of the script before executing it, helping you understand what the script is doing at every step.

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  bash -v yourscript.sh

• set -e: This will cause the script to exit immediately if a command exits with a non-zero status, thus preventing errors from cascading and causing more problems.

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  set -e

2. Insert Debugging Statements

Utilize echo or printf:

Adding echo or printf statements at critical points in your script can help you understand the flow and values of variables at different stages.

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echo "Variable X is $X at line ..."

3. Use An Interactive Shell for Debugging

Tools like bashdb provide an interactive shell that supports more advanced debugging features similar to those found in modern IDEs.

4. Leverage External Tools

For complex scripts, consider leveraging external tools or plugins that provide enhanced debugging capabilities. Updated versions of VSCode and IntelliJ extend support for Shell scripting with plugins that offer debugging features in 2025.

5. Cloud-based Debugging

With the shift toward cloud environments, debugging over SSH has become essential. Using Python’s Paramiko with Bash provides a reliable method for retrieving script outputs over SSH, allowing for remote debugging.

Learn more about getting Bash output over SSH using Paramiko.

Additional Resources

• To continue Bash scripts after specific failures, read this guide on handling Mocha failures in Bash scripts.
• If you’re automating OAuth token retrievals, you might find this tutorial on obtaining Bitbucket OAuth tokens with a Bash script helpful.

Incorporating these methods into your debugging workflow can greatly enhance your efficiency in maintaining and troubleshooting Bash scripts in 2025.