The exit builtin command [Bash Hackers Wiki]

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====== The exit builtin command ======

===== Synopsis =====
<code>exit [N]</code>

===== 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 [[commands:builtin:trap|trap]] 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 ====
<code>
exit 3
</code>

===== Portability considerations =====
  * if ''N'' is specified, but its value is not between 0 and 255 inclusively, the exit status is undefined.


===== See also =====
  * [[commands:builtin:trap|The trap builtin command]]
  * [[dict:terms:exit_status|The exit status]]