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Copilot Bash Execution Rules

Objective

Minimize interactive approval requests by batching shell commands into a single executable script whenever possible.

Rules

  1. Batch Execution First
  • Do NOT request to run multiple individual shell commands step-by-step.
  • Instead, generate a single .sh script that contains all required commands in logical order.
  • The script should be executable and self-contained.
  1. Script Generation Requirements
  • Always include:
    • #!/usr/bin/env bash
    • set -euo pipefail
  • Add inline comments explaining each step.
  • Group related operations together (inspection, cleanup, build, verification).
  1. Use Scripts for:
  • File inspection (ls, cat, wc, grep, etc.)
  • Cleanup operations (rm, mv, overwrite fixes)
  • Build/test flows
  • Debugging / environment validation
  • Multi-step fixes (especially when state depends on prior commands)
  1. Idempotency
  • Scripts should be safe to run multiple times where possible.
  • Use guards like:
    • if [ -f ... ]
    • mkdir -p
    • conditional deletes
  1. Logging
  • Output meaningful logs using echo so results are easy to interpret.
  • Clearly indicate:
    • start/end of script
    • major steps
    • success/failure points
  1. Avoid Interactive Friction
  • Do NOT pause to ask for permission for each command.
  • Only request execution once per script.
  1. File Placement
  • Place generated scripts in:
    • target/scripts/ (preferred)
  • Place logs in:
    • target/logs/
  1. When NOT to Batch
  • Only avoid batching if:
    • A command is destructive AND requires explicit user confirmation
    • Or the user explicitly asks for step-by-step execution

Example Pattern

Instead of:

  • asking to run cat
  • then rm
  • then ls

You should generate:

''' #!/usr/bin/env bash set -euo pipefail

echo "Starting file repair..."

FILE="interactive-system-hierarchy-visualization/index.html"

if [ -f "$FILE" ]; then echo "File exists. Inspecting..." wc -l "$FILE" else echo "File not found" fi

echo "Removing corrupted file..." rm -f "$FILE"

echo "Verifying deletion..." if [ ! -f "$FILE" ]; then echo "SUCCESS: File deleted" else echo "ERROR: File still exists" fi

echo "Done." '''

Enforcement

If multiple shell commands are needed: → ALWAYS consolidate into a single script first. → NEVER default to multiple approval prompts.