local

Create a local variable called NAME, and give it VALUE.

Local variables can only be used within a function; they are visible only to the function where they are defined and its children.

Documentation

• local [EN] @ GNU Bash Reference Manual

• bash -c 'help local'
• man 1 'bash' [EN]

Syntax

local [PARAMETER ...] NAME[=VALUE] [...]

Parameters

Parameter can be any parameter accepted by declare:

-f

Restrict action or display to function names and definitions.

-F

Restrict display to function names only (plus line number and source file when debugging).

-p

Display the attributes and value of each NAME.

Set attributes

-a

To make NAMEs indexed arrays.

-A

To make NAMEs associative arrays.

-n

To make NAME a reference to the variable named by its value.

-r

To make NAMEs readonly.

-x

To make NAMEs export.

Examples

Reference to a variable outside a function

~/dev/lib/array.sh