Bash Script User Input

Taking input from the user is a common task for any programming language. You can take input from a user in bash script in multiple ways. A read command is used in the bash script to take data from the user. Single or multiple data can be taken in bash script by applying different options of the read command. Some common uses of the read command are shown in this tutorial.

Option of Read Command:

Example-1: Use of read command without variable

The read command can be used without any variable. The $REPLY variable is used to read the input taken from the user by the read command without variable. Create a bash file with the following script to know how to use the read command without any variable.

#!/bin/bash  
   
echo "What is your favorite programming language?"  
# Take input without defining variable    
read  
# Print the input value
echo "Your answer is $REPLY"

Example-2: Using simple read command

Create a bash file with the following script to know how to use the read command with a variable. After running the script, the program will wait for the user input. When the user types the data and press enter, the data will be stored in the answer variable. The value of the answer variable will be printed later.

#!/bin/bash
echo -n "What is your favorite food: "
# Assign input value into a variable
read answer
# Print the value of the variable
echo "Oh! you like $answer!"

Example-3: Using read command with options

Create a bash file with the following script to know how to use both –p and –s options together in the bash script. In this example, the username and password will be taken from the user and compared with the particular value to check the username and password are valid or not.

#!/bin/bash
# Type your Login Information
read -p 'Username: ' user
read -sp 'Password: ' pass

# Check the username and password are valid or not
if (( $user == "admin" && $pass == "12345" ))
then
    echo -e "\nSuccessful login"
else
    echo -e "\nUnsuccessful login"
fi

Example-4: Using read command to take multiple inputs

The multiple inputs can be taken at a time by using the read command with multiple variable names. In the following example, four inputs will be taken in four variables by using the read command.

#!/bin/bash

# Taking multiple inputs
echo "Type four names of your favorite programming languages"
read lan1 lan2 lan3 lan4
echo "$lan1 is your first choice"
echo "$lan2 is your second choice"
echo "$lan3 is your third choice"
echo "$lan4 is your fourth choice"

Example-5: Using read command with the time limit

Create a bash file with the following script to take time-restricted input from the user. Here, the time will be counted in seconds. In the following example, the program will wait for 5 seconds for the user’s input, and if the user is unable to type the data within 5 seconds, the program will exit without value.

#!/bin/bash
# Take input with time limit
read -t 5 -p "Type your favorite color : " color
# Print the input value
echo $color

Example-6: Use of read command with -n option

Create a bash file with the following script to take input of a specific length. According to the script, the user will be able to enter a maximum of 15 characters as input.

#!/bin/bash

echo "Enter your phone number(Maximum 15 characters):"
# Take input of a maximum 15 characters long
read -n 15 phone
# Add a newline
echo
# Print the input value
echo "Your phone number is $phone"

Example-7: Checking a taken path is file or directory

Create a bash file with the following script to take input a path value from the terminal and check the input path is a directory or file.

#!/bin/bash

# Take the path value from the input
read -p "Enter the valid path: " path

# Check the input values is a directory or not
if [ -d $path ]; then
     echo "$path is a directory."
# Check the input values is a file or not
elif [ -f "$path" ]; then
     echo "$path is a file."
else
     echo "Invalid path."
fi

Example-8: Initialize array using the read command

The array variable can be declared and initialized by using the read command. Create a bash file with the following script to know how to create and initialize an array by using the read command. Next, all elements of the array, the first element of the array, the first two elements, and the last element of the array will be printed.

#!/bin/bash  

echo "Enter five numeric values for the array with space:"
# Read values for the array
read -a MyArr

# Print all array values
echo  ${MyArr[@]}

# Print the first value of the array
echo  ${MyArr[0]}

# Print the first two values of the array
echo  ${MyArr[@]:0:2}

# Print the last value of the array
echo  ${MyArr[4]}

Conclusion:

Different uses of the read command have been shown in this tutorial by using multiple examples for helping the bash users to know the uses of this command properly and apply it to their script.