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return – Exit from the Function and Return a Value

The return command in Linux is used to exit a function and return a value to the calling function. It is commonly used in shell scripts and programming languages to return a value from a function to the main program.

Overview

The return command is used to exit a function and return a value to the calling function. The syntax for the return command is as follows:

return [n]

The optional n argument is the value that will be returned to the calling function. If the n argument is not specified, then the function will return a status of 0.

Here is an example of how to use the return command in a shell script:

#!/bin/bash

function add_numbers {
  sum=$(($1 + $2))
  return $sum
}

add_numbers 5 10
result=$?
echo "The sum is: $result"

In the above example, we define a function called add_numbers that takes two arguments and calculates their sum. We then call the function with arguments 5 and 10, and assign the return value to a variable called result. Finally, we print the value of result.

Options

The return command does not have any options.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having trouble with the return command, make sure that you are using it within a function. If you try to use the return command outside of a function, you will get an error.

Also, make sure that you are passing the correct number of arguments to the return command. If you pass too many arguments, the extra arguments will be ignored. If you pass too few arguments, the missing arguments will be treated as a status of 0.

Notes

  • The return command is commonly used in shell scripts and programming languages to return a value from a function to the main program.
  • The return command can only be used within a function. If you try to use it outside of a function, you will get an error.
  • The return command can be used to return any type of value, including strings, integers, and arrays.

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