File: coreutils.info, Node: false invocation, Next: true invocation, Up: Conditions
16.1 `false': Do nothing, unsuccessfully
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`false' does nothing except return an exit status of 1, meaning
"failure". It can be used as a place holder in shell scripts where an
unsuccessful command is needed. In most modern shells, `false' is a
built-in command, so when you use `false' in a script, you're probably
using the built-in command, not the one documented here.
`false' honors the `--help' and `--version' options.
This version of `false' is implemented as a C program, and is thus
more secure and faster than a shell script implementation, and may
safely be used as a dummy shell for the purpose of disabling accounts.
Note that `false' (unlike all other programs documented herein)
exits unsuccessfully, even when invoked with `--help' or `--version'.
Portable programs should not assume that the exit status of `false'
is 1, as it is greater than 1 on some non-GNU hosts.