# The exit builtin command

## Synopsis

    exit [N]

## Description

The `exit` command terminates the current shell (or script).

If `N` is given, the return code to the parent process is set to `N`. If
not, the returned status the the status of the most recently executed
command (i.e. `$?`).

A [trap](../../commands/builtin/trap.md) on `EXIT` is executed before the shell
exits, except the executed `exit` command is part of an already running
trap.

### Options

There are no options.

### Exit status

Naturally, you can't ask for the exit status from within the shell that
executed the `exit` command, because the shell exits.

|Status|Reason|
|------|------|
|255|invalid (e.g. non-numeric) argument - this staus is returned to the parent|

## Examples

### Exit the shell and explicitely set its exit status

    exit 3

## Portability considerations

-   if `N` is specified, but its value is not between 0 and 255
    inclusively, the exit status is undefined.

## See also

-   [The trap builtin command](../../commands/builtin/trap.md)
-   [The exit status](../../dict/exit_status.md)