---
name: "String::ShellQuote"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-string-shellquote"
version: "1.04-8"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/String::ShellQuote"
---

# String::ShellQuote(3pm)

quote strings for passing through the shell

## NAME

String::ShellQuote - quote strings for passing through the shell

## SYNOPSIS

```
    $string = shell_quote @list;
    $string = shell_quote_best_effort @list;
    $string = shell_comment_quote $string;
```

## DESCRIPTION

This module contains some functions which are useful for quoting strings which are going to pass through the shell or a shell-like object.

- **shell\_quote** \[*string*\]...

  **shell\_quote** quotes strings so they can be passed through the shell. Each *string* is quoted so that the shell will pass it along as a single argument and without further interpretation.  If no *string*s are given an empty string is returned.

  If any *string* can't be safely quoted **shell\_quote** will **croak**.

- **shell\_quote\_best\_effort** \[*string*\]...

  This is like **shell\_quote**, excpet if the string can't be safely quoted it does the best it can and returns the result, instead of dying.

- **shell\_comment\_quote** \[*string*\]

  **shell\_comment\_quote** quotes the *string* so that it can safely be included in a shell-style comment (the current algorithm is that a sharp character is placed after any newlines in the string).

  This routine might be changed to accept multiple *string* arguments in the future.  I haven't done this yet because I'm not sure if the *string*s should be joined with blanks ($") or nothing ($,).  Cast your vote today!  Be sure to justify your answer.

## EXAMPLES

```
    $cmd = 'fuser 2>/dev/null ' . shell_quote @files;
    @pids = split ' ', `$cmd`;
    print CFG "# Configured by: ",
                shell_comment_quote($ENV{LOGNAME}), "\n";
```

## BUGS

Only Bourne shell quoting is supported.  I'd like to add other shells (particularly cmd.exe), but I'm not familiar with them.  It would be a big help if somebody supplied the details.

## AUTHOR

Roderick Schertler \<*roderick@argon.org*\>

## SEE ALSO

[**perl**(1)](/perl/1.md).