3 finger claw technique for POSIX shell programming. Three one-line functions which greatly enhance shell programming, enabling reliable UNIX-style programming in an extremely concise fashion.

try_or_die.sh

#!/bin/sh

##############################################################################
# This code known is distributed under the following terms:
# 
# Copyright (c) 2013 Isaac (.ike) Levy <ike@blackskyresearch.net>.
# All rights reserved.
# 
# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
# are met:
# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
#    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
# 
# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
# ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
# ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
# FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
# OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
# HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
# OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
# SUCH DAMAGE.
##############################################################################
# Credits:
# William Baxter (safe/try pattern originator)
# Matthew Story (loads of use)
# okan@ (try refinements, config conventions)
# Allan Jude (try - the actual name)
##############################################################################

shout() { echo "$0: $*" >&2; }
die() { shout "$*"; exit 111; }
try() { "$@" || die "cannot $*"; }

# examples, using it
try cd /some/place
try tar xzvfp /another/place/stuff.tbz
# (you may not want to 'try' that tar, depending)

true
# alternatively, exit 0