<!-- START doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->
<!-- DON'T EDIT THIS SECTION, INSTEAD RE-RUN doctoc TO UPDATE -->
**Table of Contents**  *generated with [DocToc](https://github.com/thlorenz/doctoc)*

- [6 Shell Grammar](#6-shell-grammar)
  - [6.1 Simple Commands & Pipelines](#61-simple-commands--pipelines)
  - [6.2 Precommand Modifiers](#62-precommand-modifiers)
  - [6.3 Complex Commands](#63-complex-commands)
  - [6.4 Alternate Forms For Complex Commands](#64-alternate-forms-for-complex-commands)
  - [6.5 Reserved Words](#65-reserved-words)
  - [6.6 Errors](#66-errors)
  - [6.7 Comments](#67-comments)
  - [6.8 Aliasing](#68-aliasing)
    - [6.8.1 Alias difficulties](#681-alias-difficulties)
  - [6.9 Quoting](#69-quoting)

<!-- END doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->

<span id="Shell-Grammar"></span> <span id="Shell-Grammar-1"></span>

# 6 Shell Grammar

<span id="index-shell-grammar"></span> <span
id="index-grammar_002c-shell"></span>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Simple-Commands-_0026-Pipelines"></span> <span
id="Simple-Commands-_0026-Pipelines-1"></span>

## 6.1 Simple Commands & Pipelines

<span id="index-simple-commands"></span> <span
id="index-commands_002c-simple"></span>

A *simple command* is a sequence of optional parameter assignments
followed by blank-separated words, with optional redirections
interspersed. For a description of assignment, see the beginning of
[Parameters](Parameters.html#Parameters).

The first word is the command to be executed, and the remaining words,
if any, are arguments to the command. If a command name is given, the
parameter assignments modify the environment of the command when it is
executed. The value of a simple command is its exit status, or 128 plus
the signal number if terminated by a signal. For example,

<div class="example">

```zsh
echo foo
```

</div>

is a simple command with arguments.

<span id="index-pipeline"></span>

A *pipeline* is either a simple command, or a sequence of two or more
simple commands where each command is separated from the next by ‘\|’ or
‘\|&’. Where commands are separated by ‘\|’, the standard output of the
first command is connected to the standard input of the next. ‘\|&’ is
shorthand for ‘2>&1 \|’, which connects both the standard output and the
standard error of the command to the standard input of the next. The
value of a pipeline is the value of the last command, unless the
pipeline is preceded by ‘!’ in which case the value is the logical
inverse of the value of the last command. For example,

<div class="example">

```zsh
echo foo | sed 's/foo/bar/'
```

</div>

is a pipeline, where the output (‘foo’ plus a newline) of the first
command will be passed to the input of the second.

<span id="index-coproc"></span> <span id="index-coprocess"></span>

If a pipeline is preceded by ‘coproc’, it is executed as a coprocess; a
two-way pipe is established between it and the parent shell. The shell
can read from or write to the coprocess by means of the ‘>&p’ and ‘\<&p’
redirection operators or with ‘print -p’ and ‘read -p’. A pipeline
cannot be preceded by both ‘coproc’ and ‘!’. If job control is active,
the coprocess can be treated in other than input and output as an
ordinary background job.

<span id="index-sublist"></span>

A *sublist* is either a single pipeline, or a sequence of two or more
pipelines separated by ‘&&’ or ‘\|\|’. If two pipelines are separated by
‘&&’, the second pipeline is executed only if the first succeeds
(returns a zero status). If two pipelines are separated by ‘\|\|’, the
second is executed only if the first fails (returns a nonzero status).
Both operators have equal precedence and are left associative. The value
of the sublist is the value of the last pipeline executed. For example,

<div class="example">

```zsh
dmesg | grep panic && print yes
```

</div>

is a sublist consisting of two pipelines, the second just a simple
command which will be executed if and only if the grep command returns a
zero status. If it does not, the value of the sublist is that return
status, else it is the status returned by the print (almost certainly
zero).

<span id="index-list"></span>

A *list* is a sequence of zero or more sublists, in which each sublist
is terminated by ‘;’, ‘&’, ‘&\|’, ‘&!’, or a newline. This terminator
may optionally be omitted from the last sublist in the list when the
list appears as a complex command inside ‘(...)’ or ‘{...}’. When a
sublist is terminated by ‘;’ or newline, the shell waits for it to
finish before executing the next sublist. If a sublist is terminated by
a ‘&’, ‘&\|’, or ‘&!’, the shell executes the last pipeline in it in the
background, and does not wait for it to finish (note the difference from
other shells which execute the whole sublist in the background). A
backgrounded pipeline returns a status of zero.

More generally, a list can be seen as a set of any shell commands
whatsoever, including the complex commands below; this is implied
wherever the word ‘list’ appears in later descriptions. For example, the
commands in a shell function form a special sort of list.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Precommand-Modifiers"></span> <span
id="Precommand-Modifiers-1"></span>

## 6.2 Precommand Modifiers

<span id="index-precommand-modifiers"></span> <span
id="index-modifiers_002c-precommand"></span>

A simple command may be preceded by a *precommand modifier*, which will
alter how the command is interpreted. These modifiers are shell builtin
commands with the exception of nocorrect which is a reserved word.

<span id="index-_002d"></span>

\-

The command is executed with a ‘-’ prepended to its argv\[0\] string.

<span id="index-builtin"></span>

builtin

The command word is taken to be the name of a builtin command, rather
than a shell function or external command.

<span id="index-command"></span>

command \[ -pvV \]

The command word is taken to be the name of an external command, rather
than a shell function or builtin. If the POSIX_BUILTINS option is set,
builtins will also be executed but certain special properties of them
are suppressed. The -p flag causes a default path to be searched instead
of that in $path. With the -v flag, command is similar to whence and
with -V, it is equivalent to whence -v.

<span id="index-exec"></span>

exec \[ -cl \] \[ -a `argv0` \]

The following command together with any arguments is run in place of the
current process, rather than as a sub-process. The shell does not fork
and is replaced. The shell does not invoke TRAPEXIT, nor does it source
zlogout files. The options are provided for compatibility with other
shells.

The -c option clears the environment.

The -l option is equivalent to the - precommand modifier, to treat the
replacement command as a login shell; the command is executed with a -
prepended to its argv\[0\] string. This flag has no effect if used
together with the -a option.

The -a option is used to specify explicitly the argv\[0\] string (the
name of the command as seen by the process itself) to be used by the
replacement command and is directly equivalent to setting a value for
the ARGV0 environment variable.

<span id="index-nocorrect"></span>

nocorrect

Spelling correction is not done on any of the words. This must appear
before any other precommand modifier, as it is interpreted immediately,
before any parsing is done. It has no effect in non-interactive shells.

<span id="index-noglob"></span>

noglob

Filename generation (globbing) is not performed on any of the words.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Complex-Commands"></span> <span
id="Complex-Commands-1"></span>

## 6.3 Complex Commands

<span id="index-complex-commands"></span> <span
id="index-commands_002c-complex"></span>

A *complex command* in zsh is one of the following:

<span id="index-if"></span> <span id="index-if-construct"></span>

if `list` then `list` \[ elif `list` then `list` \] ... \[ else `list`
\] fi

The if `list` is executed, and if it returns a zero exit status, the
then `list` is executed. Otherwise, the elif `list` is executed and if
its status is zero, the then `list` is executed. If each elif `list`
returns nonzero status, the else `list` is executed.

<span id="index-for"></span> <span id="index-for-loops"></span> <span
id="index-loops_002c-for"></span>

for `name` ... \[ in `word` ... \] `term` do `list` done

Expand the list of `word`s, and set the parameter `name` to each of them
in turn, executing `list` each time. If the ‘in `word`’ is omitted, use
the positional parameters instead of the `word`s.

The `term` consists of one or more newline or ; which terminate the
`word`s, and are optional when the ‘in `word`’ is omitted.

More than one parameter `name` can appear before the list of `word`s. If
`N` `name`s are given, then on each execution of the loop the next `N`
`word`s are assigned to the corresponding parameters. If there are more
`name`s than remaining `word`s, the remaining parameters are each set to
the empty string. Execution of the loop ends when there is no remaining
`word` to assign to the first `name`. It is only possible for in to
appear as the first `name` in the list, else it will be treated as
marking the end of the list.

for (( \[`expr1`\] ; \[`expr2`\] ; \[`expr3`\] )) do `list` done

The arithmetic expression `expr1` is evaluated first (see [Arithmetic
Evaluation](Arithmetic-Evaluation.html#Arithmetic-Evaluation)). The
arithmetic expression `expr2` is repeatedly evaluated until it evaluates
to zero and when non-zero, `list` is executed and the arithmetic
expression `expr3` evaluated. If any expression is omitted, then it
behaves as if it evaluated to 1.

<span id="index-while"></span> <span id="index-while-loops"></span>
<span id="index-loops_002c-while"></span>

while `list` do `list` done

Execute the do `list` as long as the while `list` returns a zero exit
status.

<span id="index-until"></span> <span id="index-until-loops"></span>
<span id="index-loops_002c-until"></span>

until `list` do `list` done

Execute the do `list` as long as until `list` returns a nonzero exit
status.

<span id="index-repeat"></span> <span id="index-repeat-loops"></span>
<span id="index-loops_002c-repeat"></span>

repeat `word` do `list` done

`word` is expanded and treated as an arithmetic expression, which must
evaluate to a number `n`. `list` is then executed `n` times.

The repeat syntax is disabled by default when the shell starts in a mode
emulating another shell. It can be enabled with the command ‘enable -r
repeat’

<span id="index-case"></span> <span id="index-case-selection"></span>
<span id="index-selection_002c-case"></span>

case `word` in \[ \[(\] `pattern` \[ \| `pattern` \] ... ) `list`
(;;\|;&\|;\|) \] ... esac

Execute the `list` associated with the first `pattern` that matches
`word`, if any. The form of the patterns is the same as that used for
filename generation. See [Filename
Generation](Expansion.html#Filename-Generation).

Note further that, unless the SH_GLOB option is set, the whole pattern
with alternatives is treated by the shell as equivalent to a group of
patterns within parentheses, although white space may appear about the
parentheses and the vertical bar and will be stripped from the pattern
at those points. White space may appear elsewhere in the pattern; this
is not stripped. If the SH_GLOB option is set, so that an opening
parenthesis can be unambiguously treated as part of the case syntax, the
expression is parsed into separate words and these are treated as strict
alternatives (as in other shells).

If the `list` that is executed is terminated with ;& rather than ;;, the
following list is also executed. The rule for the terminator of the
following list ;;, ;& or ;\| is applied unless the esac is reached.

If the `list` that is executed is terminated with ;\| the shell
continues to scan the `pattern`s looking for the next match, executing
the corresponding `list`, and applying the rule for the corresponding
terminator ;;, ;& or ;\|. Note that `word` is not re-expanded; all
applicable `pattern`s are tested with the same `word`.

<span id="index-select"></span> <span id="index-user-selection"></span>
<span id="index-selection_002c-user"></span>

select `name` \[ in `word` ... `term` \] do `list` done

where `term` is one or more newline or ; to terminate the `word`s. <span
id="index-REPLY_002c-use-of"></span> Print the set of `word`s, each
preceded by a number. If the in `word` is omitted, use the positional
parameters. The PROMPT3 prompt is printed and a line is read from the
line editor if the shell is interactive and that is active, or else
standard input. If this line consists of the number of one of the listed
`word`s, then the parameter `name` is set to the `word` corresponding to
this number. If this line is empty, the selection list is printed again.
Otherwise, the value of the parameter `name` is set to null. The
contents of the line read from standard input is saved in the parameter
REPLY. `list` is executed for each selection until a break or
end-of-file is encountered.

<span id="index-subshell"></span>

( `list` )

Execute `list` in a subshell. Traps set by the trap builtin are reset to
their default values while executing `list`; an exception is that
ignored signals will continue to be ignored if the option POSIXTRAPS is
set.

{ `list` }

Execute `list`.

<span id="index-always"></span> <span id="index-always-blocks"></span>
<span id="index-try-blocks"></span>

{ `try-list` } always { `always-list` }

First execute `try-list`. Regardless of errors, or break or continue
commands encountered within `try-list`, execute `always-list`. Execution
then continues from the result of the execution of `try-list`; in other
words, any error, or break or continue command is treated in the normal
way, as if `always-list` were not present. The two chunks of code are
referred to as the ‘try block’ and the ‘always block’.

Optional newlines or semicolons may appear after the always; note,
however, that they may *not* appear between the preceding closing brace
and the always.

An ‘error’ in this context is a condition such as a syntax error which
causes the shell to abort execution of the current function, script, or
list. Syntax errors encountered while the shell is parsing the code do
not cause the `always-list` to be executed. For example, an erroneously
constructed if block in `try-list` would cause the shell to abort during
parsing, so that `always-list` would not be executed, while an erroneous
substitution such as ${\*foo\*} would cause a run-time error, after
which `always-list` would be executed.

An error condition can be tested and reset with the special integer
variable TRY_BLOCK_ERROR. Outside an `always-list` the value is
irrelevant, but it is initialised to -1. Inside `always-list`, the value
is 1 if an error occurred in the `try-list`, else 0. If TRY_BLOCK_ERROR
is set to 0 during the `always-list`, the error condition caused by the
`try-list` is reset, and shell execution continues normally after the
end of `always-list`. Altering the value during the `try-list` is not
useful (unless this forms part of an enclosing always block).

Regardless of TRY_BLOCK_ERROR, after the end of `always-list` the normal
shell status $? is the value returned from `try-list`. This will be
non-zero if there was an error, even if TRY_BLOCK_ERROR was set to zero.

The following executes the given code, ignoring any errors it causes.
This is an alternative to the usual convention of protecting code by
executing it in a subshell.

<div class="example">

```zsh
{
    # code which may cause an error
  } always {
    # This code is executed regardless of the error.
    (( TRY_BLOCK_ERROR = 0 ))
}
# The error condition has been reset.
```

</div>

When a try block occurs outside of any function, a return or a exit
encountered in `try-list` does *not* cause the execution of
`always-list`. Instead, the shell exits immediately after any EXIT trap
has been executed. Otherwise, a return command encountered in `try-list`
will cause the execution of `always-list`, just like break and continue.

<span id="index-function"></span>

function \[ -T \] `word` ... \[ () \] \[ `term` \] { `list` }

`word` ... () \[ `term` \] { `list` }

`word` ... () \[ `term` \] `command`

where `term` is one or more newline or ;. Define a function which is
referenced by any one of `word`. Normally, only one `word` is provided;
multiple `word`s are usually only useful for setting traps. The body of
the function is the `list` between the { and }. See
[Functions](Functions.html#Functions).

The options of function have the following meanings:

-T  
Enable tracing for this function, as though with functions -T. See the
documentation of the -f option to the typeset builtin, in [Shell Builtin
Commands](Shell-Builtin-Commands.html#Shell-Builtin-Commands).

If the option SH_GLOB is set for compatibility with other shells, then
whitespace may appear between the left and right parentheses when there
is a single `word`; otherwise, the parentheses will be treated as
forming a globbing pattern in that case.

In any of the forms above, a redirection may appear outside the function
body, for example

<div class="example">

```zsh
func() { ... } 2>&1
```

</div>

The redirection is stored with the function and applied whenever the
function is executed. Any variables in the redirection are expanded at
the point the function is executed, but outside the function scope.

<span id="index-timing"></span> <span id="index-time"></span>

time \[ `pipeline` \]

The `pipeline` is executed, and timing statistics are reported on the
standard error in the form specified by the TIMEFMT parameter. If
`pipeline` is omitted, print statistics about the shell process and its
children.

<span id="index-conditional-expression"></span> <span
id="index-_005b_005b"></span>

\[\[ `exp` \]\]

Evaluates the conditional expression `exp` and return a zero exit status
if it is true. See [Conditional
Expressions](Conditional-Expressions.html#Conditional-Expressions) for a
description of `exp`.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Alternate-Forms-For-Complex-Commands"></span> <span
id="Alternate-Forms-For-Complex-Commands-1"></span>

## 6.4 Alternate Forms For Complex Commands

<span id="index-alternate-forms-for-complex-commands"></span> <span
id="index-commands_002c-alternate-forms-for-complex"></span>

Many of zsh’s complex commands have alternate forms. These are
non-standard and are likely not to be obvious even to seasoned shell
programmers; they should not be used anywhere that portability of shell
code is a concern.

The short versions below only work if `sublist` is of the form ‘{ `list`
}’ or if the SHORT_LOOPS option is set. For the if, while and until
commands, in both these cases the test part of the loop must also be
suitably delimited, such as by ‘\[\[ `...` \]\]’ or ‘(( `...` ))’, else
the end of the test will not be recognized. For the for, repeat, case
and select commands no such special form for the arguments is necessary,
but the other condition (the special form of `sublist` or use of the
SHORT_LOOPS option) still applies. The SHORT_REPEAT option is available
to enable the short version only for the repeat command.

if `list` { `list` } \[ elif `list` { `list` } \] ... \[ else { `list` } \]  
An alternate form of if. The rules mean that

<div class="example">

```zsh
if [[ -o ignorebraces ]] {
  print yes
}
```

</div>

works, but

<div class="example">

```zsh
if true {  # Does not work!
  print yes
}
```

</div>

does *not*, since the test is not suitably delimited.

if `list` `sublist`  
A short form of the alternate if. The same limitations on the form of
`list` apply as for the previous form.

for `name` ... ( `word` ... ) `sublist`  
A short form of for.

for `name` ... \[ in `word` ... \] `term` `sublist`  
where `term` is at least one newline or ;. Another short form of for.

for (( \[`expr1`\] ; \[`expr2`\] ; \[`expr3`\] )) `sublist`  
A short form of the arithmetic for command.

<span id="index-foreach"></span>

foreach `name` ... ( `word` ... ) `list` end  
Another form of for.

while `list` { `list` }  
An alternative form of while. Note the limitations on the form of `list`
mentioned above.

until `list` { `list` }  
An alternative form of until. Note the limitations on the form of `list`
mentioned above.

repeat `word` `sublist`  
This is a short form of repeat.

case `word` { \[ \[(\] `pattern` \[ \| `pattern` \] ... ) `list` (;;\|;&\|;\|) \] ... }  
An alternative form of case.

select `name` \[ in `word` ... `term` \] `sublist`  
where `term` is at least one newline or ;. A short form of select.

function `word` ... \[ () \] \[ `term` \] `sublist`  
This is a short form of function.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Reserved-Words"></span> <span id="Reserved-Words-1"></span>

## 6.5 Reserved Words

<span id="index-reserved-words"></span> <span
id="index-disable_002c-use-of"></span>

The following words are recognized as reserved words when used as the
first word of a command unless quoted or disabled using disable -r:

do done esac then elif else fi for case if while function repeat time
until select coproc nocorrect foreach end ! \[\[ { } declare export
float integer local readonly typeset

Additionally, ‘}’ is recognized in any position if neither the
IGNORE_BRACES option nor the IGNORE_CLOSE_BRACES option is set.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Errors"></span> <span id="Errors-1"></span>

## 6.6 Errors

<span id="index-errors_002c-handling-of"></span>

Certain errors are treated as fatal by the shell: in an interactive
shell, they cause control to return to the command line, and in a
non-interactive shell they cause the shell to be aborted. In older
versions of zsh, a non-interactive shell running a script would not
abort completely, but would resume execution at the next command to be
read from the script, skipping the remainder of any functions or shell
constructs such as loops or conditions; this somewhat illogical
behaviour can be recovered by setting the option CONTINUE_ON_ERROR.

Fatal errors found in non-interactive shells include:

-   Failure to parse shell options passed when invoking the shell
-   Failure to change options with the set builtin
-   Parse errors of all sorts, including failures to parse mathematical
    expressions
-   Failures to set or modify variable behaviour with typeset, local,
    declare, export, integer, float
-   Execution of incorrectly positioned loop control structures
    (continue, break)
-   Attempts to use regular expression with no regular expression module
    available
-   Disallowed operations when the RESTRICTED options is set
-   Failure to create a pipe needed for a pipeline
-   Failure to create a multio
-   Failure to autoload a module needed for a declared shell feature
-   Errors creating command or process substitutions
-   Syntax errors in glob qualifiers
-   File generation errors where not caught by the option BAD_PATTERN
-   All bad patterns used for matching within case statements
-   File generation failures where not caused by NO_MATCH or similar
    options
-   All file generation errors where the pattern was used to create a
    multio
-   Memory errors where detected by the shell
-   Invalid subscripts to shell variables
-   Attempts to assign read-only variables
-   Logical errors with variables such as assignment to the wrong type
-   Use of invalid variable names
-   Errors in variable substitution syntax
-   Failure to convert characters in $’...’ expressions

If the POSIX_BUILTINS option is set, more errors associated with shell
builtin commands are treated as fatal, as specified by the POSIX
standard.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Comments"></span> <span id="Comments-1"></span>

## 6.7 Comments

<span id="index-comments"></span> <span
id="index-INTERACTIVE_005fCOMMENTS_002c-use-of"></span> <span
id="index-histchars_002c-use-of"></span>

In non-interactive shells, or in interactive shells with the
INTERACTIVE_COMMENTS option set, a word beginning with the third
character of the histchars parameter (‘#’ by default) causes that word
and all the following characters up to a newline to be ignored.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Aliasing"></span> <span id="Aliasing-1"></span>

## 6.8 Aliasing

<span id="index-aliasing"></span>

Every eligible *word* in the shell input is checked to see if there is
an alias defined for it. If so, it is replaced by the text of the alias
if it is in command position (if it could be the first word of a simple
command), or if the alias is global. If the replacement text ends with a
space, the next word in the shell input is always eligible for purposes
of alias expansion.

It is an error for the function name, `word`, in the sh-compatible
function definition syntax ‘`word` () ...’ to be a word that resulted
from alias expansion, unless the ALIAS_FUNC_DEF option is set.

<span id="index-alias_002c-use-of"></span> <span
id="index-aliases_002c-global"></span>

An alias is defined using the alias builtin; global aliases may be
defined using the -g option to that builtin.

A *word* is defined as:

-   Any plain string or glob pattern
-   Any quoted string, using any quoting method (note that the quotes
    must be part of the alias definition for this to be eligible)
-   Any parameter reference or command substitution
-   Any series of the foregoing, concatenated without whitespace or
    other tokens between them
-   Any reserved word (case, do, else, etc.)
-   With global aliasing, any command separator, any redirection
    operator, and ‘(’ or ‘)’ when not part of a glob pattern

Alias expansion is done on the shell input before any other expansion
except history expansion. Therefore, if an alias is defined for the word
foo, alias expansion may be avoided by quoting part of the word, e.g.
\\foo. Any form of quoting works, although there is nothing to prevent
an alias being defined for the quoted form such as \\foo as well.

In particular, note that quoting must be used when using unalias to
remove global aliases:

<div class="example">

```zsh
% alias -g foo=bar
% unalias foo
% unalias \foo
% 
```

</div>

When POSIX_ALIASES is set, only plain unquoted strings are eligible for
aliasing. The alias builtin does not reject ineligible aliases, but they
are not expanded.

For use with completion, which would remove an initial backslash
followed by a character that isn’t special, it may be more convenient to
quote the word by starting with a single quote, i.e. ’foo; completion
will automatically add the trailing single quote.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Alias-difficulties"></span>

### 6.8.1 Alias difficulties

Although aliases can be used in ways that bend normal shell syntax, not
every string of non-white-space characters can be used as an alias.

Any set of characters not listed as a word above is not a word, hence no
attempt is made to expand it as an alias, no matter how it is defined
(i.e. via the builtin or the special parameter aliases described in [The
zsh/parameter Module](Zsh-Modules.html#The-zsh_002fparameter-Module)).
However, as noted in the case of POSIX_ALIASES above, the shell does not
attempt to deduce whether the string corresponds to a word at the time
the alias is created.

For example, an expression containing an = at the start of a command
line is an assignment and cannot be expanded as an alias; a lone = is
not an assignment but can only be set as an alias using the parameter,
as otherwise the = is taken part of the syntax of the builtin command.

It is not presently possible to alias the ‘((’ token that introduces
arithmetic expressions, because until a full statement has been parsed,
it cannot be distinguished from two consecutive ‘(’ tokens introducing
nested subshells. Also, if a separator such as && is aliased, \\&& turns
into the two tokens \\& and &, each of which may have been aliased
separately. Similarly for \\\<\<, \\\>\|, etc.

There is a commonly encountered problem with aliases illustrated by the
following code:

<div class="example">

```zsh
alias echobar='echo bar'; echobar
```

</div>

This prints a message that the command echobar could not be found. This
happens because aliases are expanded when the code is read in; the
entire line is read in one go, so that when echobar is executed it is
too late to expand the newly defined alias. This is often a problem in
shell scripts, functions, and code executed with ‘source’ or ‘.’.
Consequently, use of functions rather than aliases is recommended in
non-interactive code.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<span id="Quoting"></span> <span id="Quoting-1"></span>

## 6.9 Quoting

<span id="index-quoting"></span>

A character may be *quoted* (that is, made to stand for itself) by
preceding it with a ‘\\’. ‘\\’ followed by a newline is ignored.

A string enclosed between ‘$’’ and ‘’’ is processed the same way as the
string arguments of the print builtin, and the resulting string is
considered to be entirely quoted. A literal ‘’’ character can be
included in the string by using the ‘\\’’ escape.

<span id="index-RC_005fQUOTES_002c-use-of"></span>

All characters enclosed between a pair of single quotes (’’) that is not
preceded by a ‘$’ are quoted. A single quote cannot appear within single
quotes unless the option RC_QUOTES is set, in which case a pair of
single quotes are turned into a single quote. For example,

<div class="example">

```zsh
print ''''
```

</div>

outputs nothing apart from a newline if RC_QUOTES is not set, but one
single quote if it is set.

Inside double quotes (""), parameter and command substitution occur, and
‘\\’ quotes the characters ‘\\’, ‘‘’, ‘"’, ‘$’, and the first character
of $histchars (default ‘!’).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This document was generated on *May 14, 2022* using [*texi2html
5.0*](http://www.nongnu.org/texi2html/).  
Zsh version 5.9, released on May 14, 2022.
