bash-builtin-path

The path GNU Bash builtin makes manipulating PATH and similarly constructed environment variables easier.

It also serves as a real-world example of how to construct a Bash builtin in C.

Usage

To list the contents of a path:

path PATH
path MANPATH

To check if a directory is in your PATH:

path -c PATH /usr/local/bin

To prepend a directory:

path PATH /usr/local/bin

To prepend a directory, even if it's already in your path:

path -f PATH /usr/local/bin

To append a directory:

path -a PATH /usr/local/bin

To remove a directory:

path -d PATH /usr/local/bin

Other Examples

• https://github.com/bminor/bash/tree/master/examples/loadables
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37360273/how-to-embed-a-command-into-bash-which-act-as-built-in
• https://blog.dario-hamidi.de/a/build-a-bash-builtin
• https://github.com/dhamidi/bash-plugin-hello

Why?

Because the shell function I wrote that meets my requirements is kind of slow, and I needed a hobby.

Yes, I'm fully aware that Bash scripting is the worst possible hobby.

I'm sticking with Bash anyway. I'm not switching to zsh or whatever.