4.3. Bash Variables Are Untyped

#!/bin/bash
# int-or-string.sh

a=2334                   # Integer.
let "a += 1"
echo "a = $a "           # a = 2335
echo                     # Integer, still.


b=${a/23/BB}             # Substitute "BB" for "23".
                         # This transforms $b into a string.
echo "b = $b"            # b = BB35
declare -i b             # Declaring it an integer doesn't help.
echo "b = $b"            # b = BB35

let "b += 1"             # BB35 + 1
echo "b = $b"            # b = 1
echo                     # Bash sets the "integer value" of a string to 0.

c=BB34
echo "c = $c"            # c = BB34
d=${c/BB/23}             # Substitute "23" for "BB".
                         # This makes $d an integer.
echo "d = $d"            # d = 2334
let "d += 1"             # 2334 + 1
echo "d = $d"            # d = 2335
echo


# What about null variables?
e=''                     # ... Or e="" ... Or e=
echo "e = $e"            # e =
let "e += 1"             # Arithmetic operations allowed on a null variable?
echo "e = $e"            # e = 1
echo                     # Null variable transformed into an integer.

# What about undeclared variables?
echo "f = $f"            # f =
let "f += 1"             # Arithmetic operations allowed?
echo "f = $f"            # f = 1
echo                     # Undeclared variable transformed into an integer.
#
# However ...
let "f /= $undecl_var"   # Divide by zero?
#   let: f /= : syntax error: operand expected (error token is " ")
# Syntax error! Variable $undecl_var is not set to zero here!
#
# But still ...
let "f /= 0"
#   let: f /= 0: division by 0 (error token is "0")
# Expected behavior.


#  Bash (usually) sets the "integer value" of null to zero
#+ when performing an arithmetic operation.
#  But, don't try this at home, folks!
#  It's undocumented and probably non-portable behavior.


# Conclusion: Variables in Bash are untyped,
#+ with all attendant consequences.

exit $?