I have some functions defined in my .bashrc. I need some advice regarding the use of the command
export -f func_name When is export of a function required?
2 Answers
Exporting of functions is required for the same reason as exporting of variables - that is, to make the function definition visible in a child process (specifically, in a child bash shell - unlike the case for variables, other processes - even other shell processes - won't recognize exported bash functions). So for example:
$ declare -p -f foo foo () { echo 'I am foo' } $ bash -c 'foo' bash: line 1: foo: command not found but
$ export -f foo $ bash -c 'foo' I am foo Of course, any shell that sources the file in which the function is defined (such as an interactive non-login shell when the function is defined in your ~/.bashrc file) does not need to rely on inheriting it from its parent
$ declare -n -f foo # "unexport" the function $ declare -f -p foo >> ~/.bashrc $ bash -c 'foo' bash: line 1: foo: command not found but
$ bash -ic 'foo' I am foo There is a good discussion of the topic here:
In short I would say you don't need to export any functions from .bashrc, because it is anyway sourced, and thus the functions will be available in all your bash sessions right away.
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