install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install checkbashisms

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add checkbashisms

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · checkbashisms · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#checkbashisms

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ch/checkbashisms/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S checkbashisms

Arch Linux sync databases · checkbashisms · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install checkbashisms

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · checkbashisms · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Checks for bashisms in shell scripts

Project links

Commands and aliases

checkbashisms

history

Project history and usage

checkbashisms is a Debian devscripts command that scans shell scripts for possible bash-specific constructs in scripts intended to run as /bin/sh.

Project history

The Debian manpage says checkbashisms was originally written as a shell script by Yann Dirson and rewritten in Perl by Julian Gilbey. The current script says it is based on a Lintian scripts check with copyright ancestry from Richard Braakman, Josip Rodin, and Julian Gilbey.

Adoption history

checkbashisms entered devscripts as a new script in the August 2003 changelog. Because devscripts is a standard Debian developer utility package, the command spread first through Debian and Ubuntu workflows, then through repackaging in Homebrew, Alpine, Nix, Arch, and openSUSE as recorded in the batch input.

How it is used

Users run `checkbashisms script ...` to warn about constructs not required by POSIX, with options for stricter POSIX checking, force-checking, lint-style editor output, extra context, and early failure.

Why package nerds care

checkbashisms is package-nerd folklore because it encodes Debian Policy and POSIX shell portability expectations into a tiny linter, catching scripts that accidentally require bash when packaged as /bin/sh-compatible.

Timeline

1997: devscripts split off from debmake.
1998: Lintian-era scripts checks provide part of checkbashisms' ancestry.
2003: checkbashisms added to devscripts.
2018: Debian devscripts repository created on Salsa.
2026: devscripts 2.26.9 source published in Debian unstable.

Related projects

devscripts is the Debian utility collection that ships checkbashisms.
Lintian is the source of the original check logic described in the script and manpage.
dash, POSIX sh, Debian Policy, and bash are the compatibility context for the command.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

text:shell

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`checkbashisms`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version2.26.10

manager updated2026-07-06

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/devscripts/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/devscripts/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:checkbashisms
Version	2.26.10
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/checkbashisms
Homepage	https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/devscripts/
Repository	https://salsa.debian.org/debian/devscripts
Upstream docs	https://manpages.debian.org/testing/devscripts/checkbashisms.1.en.html
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/d/devscripts/devscripts_2.26.10.tar.xz
Last updated	2026-07-06T15:26:54Z
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on all)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	checkbashisms
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

checkbashisms

nix profile install nixpkgs#checkbashisms

normalized package name match
Matched by: Checkbashisms

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ch/checkbashisms/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

checkbashisms 2.26.5-r1

Debian developer scripts (checkbashisms)

https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/devscripts

sudo apk add checkbashisms

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: debian-devscripts
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Checkbashisms

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: checkbashisms from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

pacman95%

checkbashisms 2.26.9-1

Debian script that checks for bashisms

https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/devscripts

sudo pacman -S checkbashisms

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Architecture: any
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Checkbashisms

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: checkbashisms from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

zypper95%

checkbashisms 2.26.9-1.1

Tool for checking /bin/sh scripts for possible bashisms

https://salsa.debian.org/debian/devscripts

sudo zypper install checkbashisms

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Development/Tools/Building
Architecture: noarch
Source Package: devscripts-checkbashisms
2 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Checkbashisms

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: checkbashisms from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/checkbashisms.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install checkbashisms with Homebrew, apk, Nix, pacman, zypper