CODEWITHSUNDEEP
linuxbash
mailzyok
mailzyok

Reputation: 457

what the meaning of this link in linux script

What is the meaning of the following which is on the top of linux script

#!/bin/bash
return &> /dev/null

Upvotes: 12

Views: 230

Answers (3)

alvits
alvits

Reputation: 6758

The line is to protect users from sourcing the script.

When the script is run (not sourced but run), the script will proceed to the next lines until the end of file.

When the script is sourced, the script will just return and do nothing.

Upvotes: 15

Dropout
Dropout

Reputation: 13866

This discards the unwanted output of your program. Please check out this link, differences between >, 2> and &> are very well explained over there.

Quoting:

command &>/dev/null

This syntax redirects both standard output and error output messages to /dev/null where it is ignored by the shell.

Upvotes: 0

mvp
mvp

Reputation: 116197

return is supposed to return value from bash function.

When used exactly like in your example but without &> /dev/null, it is invalid use because return does not belong to body of bash function, and would print:

line 2: return: can only `return' from a function or sourced script

However, somebody decided to hide that error message by piping output to /dev/null.

In other words, this all does not make much sense.

Upvotes: 5

Related Questions