Shell
set
Set or unset shell options and positional parameters.
Synopsis
syntax
set [OPTION]... [ARG]...
Examples
Strict mode for bash scripts
set -euo pipefail
Enable command tracing
set -x
Disable command tracing
set +x
Set positional parameters
set -- arg1 arg2
Common options
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -e | Exit immediately on error |
| -u | Treat unset variables as error |
| -x | Print commands before execution |
| -o pipefail | Pipe fails if any command fails |
| +x | Disable tracing (+ disables options) |
About set
The `set` command set or unset shell options and positional parameters. Shell commands configure your interactive environment — variables, aliases, history, and shell options.
The shell is your primary interface with Linux, and customizing it improves productivity. These commands work across bash, zsh, and other POSIX-compatible shells with minor differences.
The command accepts 5 commonly used flags shown above, though the full set of options is available in the man page (`man set`). The 4 examples on this page cover typical real-world usage patterns that you can copy and adapt for your own workflows.
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Other commands in the Shell category