Reading User Input with read

# Read into one variable
read name
echo "Hello, $name"

# Multiple variables — splits on IFS (space by default)
read first last
# user types: Alice Smith
echo "First: $first, Last: $last"    # First: Alice, Last: Smith

# Extra words go into the last variable
read a b rest
# user types: one two three four five
echo "a=$a, b=$b, rest=$rest"   # a=one, b=two, rest=three four five

# Prompted input (always use -r)
read -rp "Enter your name: " name
echo "Hello, $name"

# Password (silent)
read -rsp "Enter password: " password
echo ""    # newline after silent input
echo "Password length: ${#password}"

# Timeout — useful in automation
if read -rt 10 -p "Confirm? [y/N] " response; then
    echo "Got response: $response"
else
    echo ""
    echo "Timed out — using default"
    response="n"
fi

# Read a single keypress (no Enter needed)
read -rn 1 -p "Press any key to continue..."
echo ""

# Read into array
read -ra colors -p "Enter colors (space-separated): "
echo "You entered ${#colors[@]} colors"
for c in "${colors[@]}"; do echo "  - $c"; done

function confirm {
    local prompt="${1:-Are you sure?} [y/N] "
    local response

    read -rp "$prompt" response
    case "${response,,}" in     # lowercase the response
        y|yes) return 0 ;;
        *)     return 1 ;;
    esac
}

if confirm "Delete all files?"; then
    echo "Deleting..."
else
    echo "Cancelled"
fi

# read can also consume strings directly
read -r first second <<< "hello world"
echo "$first"    # hello
echo "$second"   # world

# Useful for parsing output
IFS=: read -r user _ uid gid _ home shell <<< "alice:x:1000:1000::/home/alice:/bin/bash"
echo "User: $user, UID: $uid, Shell: $shell"