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How to create Bash Script using Array on Debian 12

To Create Bash Script Using Array On Debian 12

Introduction

A Bash array is a variable that can hold multiple values, similar to arrays in other programming languages that allows you to store a collection of data elements under a single variable name. Arrays in Bash can be indexed and accessed using integers, and they are particularly helpful for organizing and manipulating sets of related data within shell scripts.

Procedure Steps

Step 1: Check the OS version by using the below command.

root@linuxhelp:~# cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="12"
VERSION="12 (bookworm)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

Step 2: Make a script by using the below command

root@linuxhelp:~# vim array
#!/bin/bash

# Create request for user creation to register
echo "The is the Process for Regitering"
read -p "what is your name: " name

# Create array with sports name

sport[0]="Cricket"
sport[1]="Footbal"
sport[2]="Chess"
sport[3]="Carrom"
sport[4]="Valleybal"

array_length=${#sport[@]} # To Store length of array
index=$(($RANDOM % $array_length)) # To Increase the array Randomly

# Ask to user for creation
echo "HI!" $name, "would you like to play ${sport[$index]}" "?(yes/no)" by default:yes # To Ask user's sport option
read -p "Answer: " answer # To get answer from user for sport

if [ "$answer" == "no" ] # If the answer is no
then 
	echo "You were not chose ${sport[$index]}" # It will print
else
	echo "You were chose ${sport[$index]}" # It will pring
fi

Step 3: make the executable permission by using the below command

root@linuxhelp:~# chmod +x array

Step 4: Run the script by using the below command

root@linuxhelp:~# ./array 
The is the Process for Regitering
what is your name: linuxhelp1
HI! linuxhelp1, would you like to play Footbal ?(yes/no) by default:yes
Answer: yes
You were chose Footbal

Step 5: Run the script by using the below command

root@linuxhelp:~# ./array 
The is the Process for Regitering
what is your name: linuxhelp2
HI! linuxhelp2, would you like to play Chess ?(yes/no) by default:yes
Answer: no
You were not chose Chess

Conclusion:

We have reached the end of this article. In this guide, we have walked you through the steps required to create Bash Script using Array on Debian 12. Your feedback is much welcome.

Tag : Shell Script debian Bash-scripting
FAQ
Q
Are Bash Arrays passed by reference or by value?
A
Bash arrays are passed by reference, meaning changes made to an array in a function will affect the original array outside the function.
Q
How do you check if an element exists in a Bash Array?
A
You can iterate through the array and check each element, or use a loop with conditional statements to check for specific values.
Q
Can Bash Arrays have associative (key-value) elements?
A
Yes, Bash supports associative arrays where elements are indexed by keys instead of integers. They are declared with declare -A array_name and accessed using ${array_name[key]}.
Q
How do you access elements in a Bash Array?
A
You can access elements in a Bash array using their index (starting from 0). For example, to access the first element of my_array, use ${my_array[0]}.
Q
What is a Bash Array?
A
A Bash Array is a variable that can store multiple values under a single name. It allows you to manage collections of data in shell scripts.