How to define a bash function to use in any script?

Question

I would like to define it once and use it anywhere.

Answer 1

While I mostly agree with eduffy, I usually put such functions in a file either in the user's home directory, or if the scripts are shared between users in a directory in the user's path. Then I would send the file (. ~ / FILE or. $ (Type -p FILE)) to .bash_profile. This allows you to “redirect” the file if necessary (i.e. change something in it) without having to re-enter the system, etc.

Answer 2

In bash, you can run source from your script (with a file containing your functions as an argument) and simply call the function. This happens implicitly when you define a function in your .bashrc .

Answer 3

Put it in ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile .

Answer 4

Put your "generic" function in a separate script (let it "a"):

 #!/bin/bash test_fun () { echo "hi" } 

Next, “import” it into another script (say, “b”):

 #!/bin/bash . ./a test_fun 

Running bash b displays hi