LPIC-1 Shells, Scripting and Data Management Practice Question
A system administrator needs to ensure that a bash script continues executing even if any command in the script fails. Which of the following should be used at the beginning of the script?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse `set +e` with `set -e`, or think that a comment like `# set +e` would have any effect, when in fact the `+` sign disables the option and the `-` sign enables it.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
set +e
`set +e` disables the 'exit on error' behavior in a bash script, allowing the script to continue executing even if a command returns a non-zero exit status. By default, bash scripts do not exit on error, but if `set -e` is used elsewhere, `set +e` explicitly turns that off to ensure the script continues despite failures.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
set +e
Why this is correct
Disables exit on error, allowing the script to continue.
- ✗
trap 'echo error' ERR
Why it's wrong here
Traps errors but does not prevent exit if set -e is active; also not the simplest method.
- ✗
unset -e
Why it's wrong here
unset -e is not a valid command; -e is not a variable.
- ✗
set -e
Why it's wrong here
This causes the script to exit on any error, opposite of desired.
- ✗
# set +e
Why it's wrong here
A comment does not affect shell behavior.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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