is using which in a noscript really necessary ?

In my company, I often see the "which" command used in noscripts, like this :

$(which sudo) $(which find) $backupFolder -maxdepth 1 -type f -name \"backup_${bddToBackup}_*.gz\" -mtime +$backupRotate -exec rm -f {} \;

I guess it's "to be sure" to find the sudo and find command where ever they are

Is it really useful to use which in this case ? From what I understand, which use the path so to me that would be the exact same as just writing "sudo find [...]"

https://redd.it/1oc6ncc
@r_bash

vdl4k - YouTube downloader with 4K support and XDG compliance

Well met r/bash,

I've been working on a bash noscript called **vdl4k** (Video Downloader 4K) that's designed for personal video archiving from YouTube and other platforms. It's lightweight, self-contained, and focuses on high-quality downloads with smart features like resolution upgrades and batch processing.

# Key Features

* **4K Video Support**: Automatically downloads the best available quality up to 4K, with fallbacks for lower resolutions.
* **Resolution Comparison**: If you re-download a video, it compares resolutions and keeps the higher-quality version.
* **Archive Tracking**: Maintains a download history to avoid duplicates (optional).
* **Batch Processing**: Handles playlists or multiple URLs.
* **Comprehensive Logging**: Detailed summaries and logs for every download.
* **Clipboard Integration**: Automatically detects URLs from your clipboard for quick downloads.
* **Configurable**: Easy customization via config files (e.g., change download directory, formats).
* **No Web UI**: Pure command-line for simplicity and privacy.

It's perfect for archiving videos for offline viewing, learning, or personal collections without relying on cloud services.

# Installation

Prerequisites:

* yt-dlp (pip install yt-dlp)
* ffmpeg (sudo apt install ffmpeg on Ubuntu/Debian)
* xsel (optional, for clipboard support)

Download the noscript from [GitHub](https://github.com/yourusername/vdl4k), make it executable:

chmod +x vdl4k
./vdl4k --help

For global access: sudo mv vdl4k /usr/local/bin/

# Usage Examples

# Download a single video
./vdl4k https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID

# Download a playlist
./vdl4k -p https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAYLIST_ID

# Force re-download
./vdl4k -f https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID

# Verbose mode
./vdl4k -v https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID

# Why I Built This

I wanted something simple for archiving videos without bloat. It's inspired by yt-dlp but adds personal touches like resolution upgrades and detailed summaries. Great for educational content, tutorials, or music videos.

#



https://redd.it/1oenjfx
@r_bash

Hhhjhnl

Jk

https://redd.it/1ofc0c6
@r_bash

My First GitHub Project: A Handy Bash Directory Bookmark System

I just created a shell noscript for myself that I think others might find useful. It's my first time uploading something to GitHub, so if the README isn’t perfect, I apologize in advance!

The noscript is a **Bash directory bookmark system** that lets you save, manage, and quickly navigate frequently used directories. It supports:

* **Normal bookmarks** – for temporary or frequent use
* **Bound bookmarks** – for persistent, long-term directories
* Each bookmark can optionally have a **name** for easier navigation
* Bookmarks can be referenced by **index or name**
* Supports **absolute and relative paths**

I hope someone finds it useful and enjoys using it:
[https://github.com/tomertouitoumail-ops/cd-bookmark](https://github.com/tomertouitoumail-ops/cd-bookmark)

https://redd.it/1ofxp3o
@r_bash

Bash Trek, a Retro Terminal Game

Perhaps older readers will be familiar with the old Star Trek terminal game), first written by Mike Mayfield in 1971. I first encountered a simple version on a Commodore PET in the early '80s. I found it quite addictive and wrote a BBC BASIC version myself in 1985. In 2002 I wrote one in C and more recently I've written one in Bash, which I've now uploaded to GitHub, here: https://github.com/StarShovel/bash-trek

Hope some may find it interesting.

https://preview.redd.it/iwg8lzq7knxf1.png?width=780&format=png&auto=webp&s=f5aedd77a2feb7fab44b729c2d9726f0888b1a9b

https://preview.redd.it/voo1pjmuknxf1.png?width=780&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea3c9678f68859563528a752cf63e8ca2586dbb9






https://redd.it/1ohdweb
@r_bash

New Shell/Bash Roadmap at Roadmap.sh

Hi there! My name is Javier Canales, and I work as a content editor at roadmap.sh. For those who don't know, roadmap.sh is a community-driven website offering visual roadmaps, study plans, and guides to help developers navigate their career paths in technology.

We're planning to launch a brand new Shell/Bash Roadmap. It aims to be comprehensive, targeting Shell newbies and mature developers who may want a Shell refresh or to improve their fluency. However, we're not covering all the commands or topics out there, as we don't want to overwhelm users with excessive content.

Before launching the roadmap, we would like to ask the community for some help. Here's the link to the draft roadmap. We welcome your feedback, suggestions, and constructive input. If you have any suggestions for items to include or remove from the roadmap, please let me know.

Once we launch the official roadmap, we will start populating it with content and resources. Contributions will also be welcome on that side via GitHub :)

Hope this incoming roadmap will also be useful for you. Thanks very much in advance.

https://preview.redd.it/6q8z0gad1pxf1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=b96184d25fb7b92c6cf13b0e6a586c6229415b1c




https://redd.it/1ohlkfa
@r_bash

A needed a pause function with a countdown timer, custom prompt and response, so I wrote one.

I needed a pause function for my noscripts so I thought I would write a pause noscript of my own that works similar to the pause function in Windows. I went a little above and beyond and added a timer function countdown in seconds (seconds are converted to 00h:00m:00s style format for extended times), and added the ability to enter custom prompt and response messages.

I know this is a bit superfluous but it was a fun project to learn about arguments and switches and how they are used, implemented and controlled within the noscript. This is free to use if anyone finds it helpful.

https://github.com/Grawmpy/pause.sh

https://redd.it/1oho8iq
@r_bash

Writing a bash noscript for post-install automatic configurations of a personal system.

Hello!

I'm trying to learn some simple bash noscripting and i made myself a project i'd like to do.

Here's the initial step: https://github.com/Veprovina/CarchyOS/blob/main/Carchyos.sh

It's a noscript that makes a minimal Arch linux into CachyOS hybrid with CachyOS repositories, kernel, and adds configurations specific to my system automatically so i don't have to do it. The goal much later would be to expand it to work on other OS, but this is as far as i've gotten now.

I did test it in a VM, and it works, but it's pretty basic or possibly wrong? I dont know what i'm doing. I didn't ask AI, nor do i want to, so i'm asking here if people can point me to the right direction so i can learn how to achieve all the things i wrote in the "to do" part, and to better understand how the ones i wrote already work.

For instance, i copied the "cat" part from a forum and modified it for my purposes, but idk why it does what it does. I know >> is append to file and > is new file (or rewrite existing file entirely), so maybe there's a more elegant solution to add new lines to an existing file, or write a new file that i just haven't found by googling. Or maybe printf is better than echo for some reason?

Like, i understand what the noscript does, but i might need some deeper understanding to add other stuff.

So far the noscript does:

\- echo every change about to happen in a colored line

\- copies and executes the cachyos noscript that changes the repositories and packages from arch to cacyhos

\- installs pacman packages

\- makes new directories for mount points, adds UUIDs of drives into fstab, then mounts them

\- makes an udev rule for a gamepad

Am i on the correct track or completely off the mark and that's not how it's done? I'd appreciate any insight, and pointing in the right direction, to some good beginner friendly documentation or tutorials so i can learn how to do this myself.

My end goal would be complete and automatic initial setup of the minimal system with one noscript.

https://redd.it/1ohusql
@r_bash

I started a small blog documenting lessons learned, and the first major post is on building reusable, modular Bash libraries (using functions, namespaces, and local)

I've started a new developer log to document lessons learned while working on my book (Bash: The Developer's Approach). The idea is to share the real-world path of an engineer trying to build robust software.

My latest post dives into modular Bash design.

We all know the pain of big, brittle utility noscripts. I break down how applying simple engineering concepts—like Single Responsibility and Encapsulation (via local)—can transform Bash into a maintainable language. It's about designing clear functions and building reusable libraries instead of long, monolithic noscripts.

Full breakdown here: https://www.lost-in-it.com/posts/designing-modular-bash-functions-namespaces-library-patterns/

It's small, but hopefully useful for anyone dealing with noscripting debt. Feedback and critiques are welcome.

https://redd.it/1oj3i2f
@r_bash

I want to put totp in my bash noscript

hey so as my noscript say i want to put totp in my noscript,

I am currently working on a project related to get access in servers so i want to use totp in bash which is allowing the user into server , currently i am sharing ssh key over telegram bot which is allowing the user into server but i want to replace it with totp.

Is there is any way i can put like on google authentictor , is google provide api for it ? if not os there is any tool for it ? and how to connect with any app to obtain otp and i will put the otp into the telegram which send it to my noscript in the server and will allow access

https://redd.it/1oj8ala
@r_bash

A bash IRC server
https://github.com/dgl/bash-ircd

https://redd.it/1okflov
@r_bash

Bash project feedback
https://github.com/EinFabo/cts

https://redd.it/1okqbzo
@r_bash

How to substitute a string in a file

I have a file called test.txt that looks like this

```
gobbledygook

something unique I can key on ['test1', 'test2', 'test3'];

gobbledygook
```

My noscript looks like

```
substitute_string="'test1', 'test2'"

sed -E "s/something unique I can key on\[(.*)\];/${substitute_string}/g" < test.txt > test2.txt
```

I want test2.txt to look like

```
gobbledygook

something unique I can key on ['test1', 'test2'];

gobbledygook
```

but as you probably know, I get this instead:

```
gobbledygook

'test1', 'test2'

gobbledygook
```

If I put \1 in front of the variable, it renders like

```
gobbledygook

'test1', 'test2', 'test3''test1', 'test2'

gobbledygook
```


I am not sure how to replace what's between the brackets, i.e. my first grouping, with my subtitute_string. Can you help?



https://redd.it/1ol6f4n
@r_bash

wanna start noscripting

Hello, i have been using linux for some time now (about 2-3 years)
i have done some easy noscripts for like i3blocks to ask for something like cpu temp
but i have moved to hyprland and i want to get into much bigger noscripts so i want to know what are commands i should know / practise with
or even some commands a normal user won't use like it was for me the awk command or the read command

https://redd.it/1omqxf4
@r_bash

topalias 3.0.0 has been released

Installation:

 install -U --upgrade topalias

pipx install --force topalias

python3 -m pip install -U --upgrade topalias

python3.10 -m pip install -U --upgrade topalias

Running the topalias utility:

python3 -m topalias

python3.10 -m pip topalias

python3 topalias/cli.py

Changes:


Supported Ubuntu 25.10/Python 3.13, Kubuntu 22.04/Python 3.10, KDE neon Rolling


Please test with the latest version of Python 3.15 in KDE neon.

https://redd.it/1on0cjj
@r_bash

Thoughts on this bash toolkit for VPS (free OS MIT)

(not sure if this is ok to post here?)

Hi all, a decent while ago i started getting into VPS and self hosting and wanted to learn all the ins and outs.

I thought, why not learn command line and Linux for hosting by creating noscripts using bash hehe oh was i in for a ride.

Ive learned a damn lot, and just wanted to share my learning experience. (I kinda went overboard on how i share it lol, lets just say i had a lot of fun evenings)

I basically made a toolkit, that has the concepts, and best practices i learned, and its in a nice looking TUI now. I like how its so powerful without any real depencies. You can do so much!! Unbelievable

I would love some feedback and opinions on it of you who know lots more about bash than I do so i can learn!!

Its free and open source under MIT:
https://github.com/kelvincdeen/kcstudio-launchpad-toolkit

(Yes i used ai to help me. But i understand and know what all critical parts do because thats important to me). And yes i know the noscripts are gigantic, its all build on focused functions and makes it easier for me to see the big picture.

Would love your opinions on it, the good and the critique so i can do better next time

https://redd.it/1onrlcg
@r_bash

Over the Wire - Level 13 to 14

It feels like moving from Level 13 to 14 is a huge step up..I know keys from PGP etc, but I am wondering why the private key from one user should work to log in to the account of another user..
Sure, this level is set up to teach this stuff, but am I correct thinking that the private key is per user of a machine, and not for the entire computer, so this level represents a very unlikely scenario?
Why should I be able to download the private key from User 13 to log into the machine as User 14, in a real-world scenario - or am I missing something?

Here is the solution to get to Level 14 - you log into Bandit13, find the private key, log out, download the key because you know where it is and have the password, and then use the private key from bandit13 to log into bandit14..
(For example https://mayadevbe.me/posts/overthewire/bandit/level14/)

https://redd.it/1oowe8m
@r_bash

Stuck with a noscript

I'm working on a noscript to (in theory) speed up creating new posts for my hugo website. Part of the noscript runs hugo serve so that I can preview changes to my site. I had the intention of checking the site in Firefox, then returning to the shell to resume the noscript, run hugo and then rsync the changes to the server.

But, when I run hugo serve in the noscript, hugo takes over the terminal. When I quit hugo serve with ctrl C, the bash noscript also ends.

Is it possible to quit the hugo server and return to the bash noscript?

The relevant part of the noscript is here:

echo "Move to next step [Y] or exit [q]?"

read -r editing_finished

if [ $editing_finished = q ]; then

exit

elif [ $editing_finished = Y ]; then

# Step 6 Run hugo serve

# Change to root hugo directory, this should be three levels higher

cd ../../../

# Run hugo local server and display in firefox

hugo serve & firefox `http://localhost:1313/`

fi

Thanks!

https://redd.it/1op9g11
@r_bash

Making my first noscript give it a run through I got a few questions

I am looking to make a noscript with categorical response from echo, such as like this from the nano terminal.

Echo " welcome to the program1 program!"
Sleep 2
Clear
Echo " please make a selection from one of these categories!"

Echo "
Story
Todolist
Calendar "

I don't know if I should put a "fi" here or not to keep it from going back to original terminal or leaving the noscript, then want "story" to open a page of text, how can I go about these things, getting functions working clean as it keeps coming out as slop with error syntax or straight up not functioning?
I went into the .bathroom and attempted to make an export function process that ALSO don't work, I have the wrost luck with Linux and bash over the years in the process of learning it I swear, any help please?!?!

https://redd.it/1ophe31
@r_bash

3D Graphics Generated & Rendered on the Terminal with just Bash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU5s11MR5n0

https://redd.it/1ophj34
@r_bash

config files: .zshenv equivalent?

Hi everyone, I'm a Zsh user looking into Bash and have a question about the user config files. The Zsh startup and exit sequence is quite simple (assuming not invoked with options that disable reading these files):

1. For any shell: Read .zshenv
2. Is it a login shell? Read .zprofile
3. Is it an interactive shell? Read .zshrc
4. Is it a login shell? Read .zlogin (.zprofile alternative for people who prefer this order)
5. Is it a login shell? Read .zlogout (on exit, obviously)


Bash is a little different. It has, in this order, as far as I can tell:

1. .bash_profile (and two substitutes), which is loaded for all login shells
2. .bashrc, which only gets read for interactive non-login shells
3. .bash_logout gets read in all login shells on exit.

Therefore, points 1 + 3 and point 2 are mutually exclusive. Please do highlight any mistakes in this if there are ones.

My question is now how to make this consistent with how Zsh works. One part seems easy: Source .bashrc from .bash_profile if the shell is interactive, giving the unconditional split between "login stuff" and "interactive stuff" into two files that Zsh has. But what about non-interactive, non-login shells? If I run $ zsh some_noscript.zsh, only .zshenv is read and guarantees that certain environment variables like GOPATH and my PATH get set. Bash does not seem to have this, it seems to rely on itself being or there being a login shell to inherit from. Where should my environment variables go if I want to ensure a consistent environment when invoking Bash for noscripts?


TLDR: What is the correct way to mimic .zshenv in Bash?

https://redd.it/1opkvxu
@r_bash