How to create a todo list in Bash.

Posted on September 1, 2023 by nexonhost

How To Create A Todo List In Bash.

Bash is a powerful scripting language that can handle text manipulation and file operations quite well. Here are the basic steps to create a simple to-do list application in Bash:

Create a Bash Script File: Start by creating a new Bash script file using a text editor of your choice. You can name it something like todo.sh. Make sure the file is executable by running chmod +x todo.sh.
Define Variables: Inside your script, define variables to store the to-do list items. You can use an array to store the tasks:
```
# Define an array to store tasks
tasks=()
```

Add Functions: Create functions to perform various operations on your to-do list, such as adding, viewing, and removing tasks. Here’s a basic structure for your functions:

# Function to add a task
add_task() {
    tasks+=("$1")
}

# Function to view all tasks
view_tasks() {
    for ((i=0; i<${#tasks[@]}; i++)); do
        echo "$((i+1)). ${tasks[i]}"
    done
}

# Function to remove a task
remove_task() {
    unset "tasks[$1-1]"
    tasks=("${tasks[@]}")
}

Implement the Main Loop: Create a loop that will allow users to interact with your to-do list. You can use a select loop for a menu-based interface:

while true; do
    echo "To-Do List"
    echo "1. Add Task"
    echo "2. View Tasks"
    echo "3. Remove Task"
    echo "4. Exit"
    read -p "Select an option: " choice

    case $choice in
        1)
            read -p "Enter a new task: " new_task
            add_task "$new_task"
            ;;
        2)
            view_tasks
            ;;
        3)
            read -p "Enter the task number to remove: " task_number
            remove_task "$task_number"
            ;;
        4)
            echo "Goodbye!"
            exit 0
            ;;
        *)
            echo "Invalid option. Please try again."
            ;;
    esac
done

Run the Script: Save your script and run it in your terminal by executing ./todo.sh. You can now interact with your simple to-do list application.