Linux `true` `false`

Mon Oct 12 2020

Today when I was answering a question (opens new window) on StackOverflow about how to force Git to fail when it prompts for a password (for example, for HTTP Authentication), I saw that git had a GITASKPASS environment variable (opens new window). It lets you specify the program git needs to call to ask you for a password.

I suspected that there must be some built-in "blank" script in Linux that just does nothing and exists, but couldn't find one. So I suggested creating setting GITASKPASS to an empty script. After I posted my answer, gspr (opens new window) suggested using either the true or false command.

true does "nothing" and then returns a zero/success exit code. false also does nothing, but returns a non-zero/fail exit code.

true ended up being perfect for the purposes of GITASKPASS.