I can never remember the number. I need a memory rule.

 

To remember the exit status numbers for shell scripts more easily, you can create memory rules or mnemonics based on common patterns. Here's an example of a mnemonic that can help you remember some common exit status numbers:

Mnemonic: "Everything's Fine, but There's a Zero in the Sky"

In this mnemonic, we associate certain exit status numbers with words or phrases that start with the corresponding digit. Here's the breakdown:

• Exit Status 0: This indicates successful execution. In our mnemonic, we associate "Everything's Fine" with exit status 0 because it represents a successful outcome.

• Exit Status 1: This generally indicates a generic error. In our mnemonic, we don't have a specific phrase for this status, but we remember it as "but There's a Zero in the Sky," where the "Zero" is a reminder of the digit 1.

Now, let's see how you can use this mnemonic with examples in a shell script:

bash

#!/bin/bash

# Example 1: Successful execution (Exit Status 0)
echo "This is a successful command."
exit 0

# Example 2: Generic error (Exit Status 1)
echo "This is an error message."
exit 1

# Example 3: Another successful execution (Exit Status 0)
echo "Another successful command."
exit 0

In the examples above, we've associated the mnemonic with the exit statuses in the comments. When you encounter exit status 0, think of "Everything's Fine." When you encounter exit status 1, think of "but There's a Zero in the Sky."

This mnemonic simplifies the process of remembering exit status numbers by providing a mental association with common patterns. Feel free to create your own mnemonics or phrases that work best for you and the specific exit statuses you encounter frequently.