Fix: bash: syntax error near unexpected token


If you have a file and you are trying to access it using vim/nano or maybe a script file and you get an error "bash: syntax error near unexpected token", well the reason for this error is that you have a character in the file name which is special w.r.t your operating system (Unix, Linux or macOS)

Example:
# nano myfile(2023).csv 

bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('

Fix:

# nano myfile\(2023\).csv 

You need to escape the special character with a slash.

bash- syntax error near unexpected token

List of special characters and how to escape them to fix "syntax error near unexpected token":

Special CharacterEscape Sequence
Space\
!\!
"\"
#\#
$\$
%\%
&\&
'\'
(\(
)\)
*\*
+\+
,\,
-\-
.\.
/\/
:\:
;\;
<\<
=\=
>\>
?\?
@\@
[\[
\\\
]\]
^\^
`\\
{\{
||
}\}
~\~

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Author Info:

Rakesh (He/Him) has over 14+ years of experience in Web and Application development. He is the author of insightful How-To articles for Code2care.

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