Shell options (set -e, set -x) in Linux CLI - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the shell option set -e do in a script?

set -e makes the script stop running immediately if any command returns an error (non-zero exit code). This helps catch problems early.

beginner

What is the purpose of set -x in a shell script?

set -x turns on debugging mode. It shows each command and its arguments as they run, so you can see what the script is doing step-by-step.

beginner

How can set -e help in real-life scripting?

It stops the script when something goes wrong, like a missing file or failed command. This prevents errors from causing bigger problems later.

intermediate

How do you turn off the effects of set -x in a script?

You use set +x to stop showing commands as they run. This is useful to reduce clutter after debugging.

intermediate

What happens if you run a script with set -e and a command fails inside a loop?

The script will stop immediately at the failed command, even inside loops, unless you handle errors explicitly.

What does set -e do in a shell script?

A Runs the script in the background

B Shows each command before running it

C Ignores errors and continues

D Stops the script if any command fails

set -e stops the script immediately if any command returns an error.

Which option shows commands as they run for debugging?

A set -e

B set -x

C set +e

D set +x

set -x enables debugging by printing commands before execution.

How do you disable the debugging mode started by set -x?

A set +x

B set -n

C set -e

D set +e

set +x turns off the debugging mode.

If a command fails inside a loop with set -e, what happens?

A The script ignores the error and continues

B The loop skips the failed command and continues

C The script stops immediately

D The loop restarts from the beginning

set -e causes the script to stop immediately on any command failure, even inside loops.

Why would you use set -e in a script?

A To stop on errors and avoid unexpected results

B To speed up the script

C To debug commands

D To run commands silently

set -e helps catch errors early by stopping the script when a command fails.

Explain what set -e and set -x do in a shell script and why they are useful.

Think about error handling and debugging.

Describe a situation where using set -e would prevent a problem in a script.

Imagine a script copying files or installing software.