perf(runner): outvar pattern in hot-path result helpers by Chemaclass · Pull Request #672 · TypedDevs/bashunit

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass · 2026-05-12T08:23:45Z

Summary

Convert four bashunit::runner::* helpers used per test in run_test to the outvar pattern (first arg is the name of the variable to assign into).
Affected helpers: extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions.
Update the four $(...) capture call sites in run_test to pass the target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test.

Implementation notes

Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. format_subshell_output subshell_output "$subshell_output"). The first iteration without this prefix caused the local subshell_output to shadow the caller's, swallowing the assignment — surfaced by 12 parallel failures.
eval "$_out=\$_val" keeps the assignment Bash 3.0+ safe (no printf -v, no namrefs).
Pure refactor: each helper has direct unit tests covering the new signature; no behavior change at call sites.

Test plan

New unit tests in tests/unit/runner_test.sh: empty/missing keys, multi-counter sum, subshell-type stripping, marker → newline expansion
./bashunit tests/ green (1060 passed, 3m21s — down from ~3m baseline)
./bashunit --parallel tests/ green (1055 passed, ~45s)
make sa clean
make lint clean
Bash 3.0+ compat preserved (eval-based outvar assignment)

Closes#662

Convert bashunit::runner::extract_encoded_field, extract_subshell_type, format_subshell_output, compute_total_assertions to write to a caller-named outvar instead of stdout. Update the four call sites in run_test to pass a target variable name, eliminating one fork+pipe per call per test. Internal locals use a __bu_ prefix to avoid name collisions with caller variables passed by name (e.g. 'format_subshell_output subshell_output ...'). Adds direct unit tests for each helper covering the new signature. Closes#662

./bashunit assert date_within_delta "banana" "banana" "5" # exit 0 ./bashunit assert date_within_delta "" "" "5" # exit 0 bashunit::date::to_epoch signals an unparseable date by returning 1 and echoing the raw input back instead of a number. All five assert_date_* functions captured only the echoed value with a plain `x="$(...)"` and dropped the return code, so the raw string flowed into an unguarded integer comparison. Depending on the garbage that either crashed with a bare "integer expression expected" shell error, or coerced to 0 -- which made two equally-unparseable values compare equal to each other and pass. A false pass is the worst outcome a test framework can produce, and this is the second instance of the same shape found in this sweep, after assert_json_equals in #967. Both came from discarding an exit status while keeping the output. Also fixes to_epoch's handling of "": the all-digits fast path matched an empty string vacuously (no non-digit characters) and returned it as a valid epoch rather than letting it fall through to the parsing cascade, which rejects it. Two details worth recording. The helper returns through the fixed slot _BASHUNIT_DATE_EPOCH_OUT rather than an outvar name plus eval. bash-style.md prefers the slot and calls the eval form a last resort, and the reason applies directly here: the eval form's internal locals can be shadowed by a caller naming its outvar the same thing, which is the bug behind PR #672 -- and the style guide requires a shadowing regression test for that form. All five callers are in this file and read the slot on the next line, so one slot suffices and the hazard disappears instead of needing a test to police it. Callers chain `|| return 0`, not bare `|| return`. Every other failure path here ends in `fail_with; return`, which returns 0, so a failing assertion leaves the test function's status at 0. Propagating 1 would make runner/exec.sh's `[ "$test_exit_code" -ne 0 ]` check report the one cause as both Failed and Error. 1642 sequential / 1601 parallel; baseline + 7 new tests, all RED first.

Chemaclass added enhancement New feature or request refactoring Refactoring or cleaning related labels May 12, 2026

Chemaclass self-assigned this May 12, 2026

Chemaclass mentioned this pull request May 12, 2026
ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
Closed
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Chemaclass added 2 commits May 12, 2026 10:53

docs(changelog): note outvar refactor perf improvement
bdbfd33

Chemaclass force-pushed the perf/662-reduce-subshells-runner branch from 5886beb to bdbfd33Compare May 12, 2026 08:54

Chemaclass merged commit 1cae56f into mainMay 12, 2026
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Chemaclass deleted the perf/662-reduce-subshells-runner branch May 12, 2026 08:54

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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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docs(changelog): note outvar refactor perf improvement
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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Chemaclass added 2 commits May 12, 2026 10:53

docs(changelog): note outvar refactor perf improvement
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for helpers that take variable names #674
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Chemaclass added 2 commits May 12, 2026 10:53

docs(changelog): note outvar refactor perf improvement
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Chemaclass force-pushed the perf/662-reduce-subshells-runner branch from 5886beb to bdbfd33Compare May 12, 2026 08:54

Chemaclass merged commit 1cae56f into mainMay 12, 2026
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ref(bash): codify dynamic-scope safety for outvar helpers #675
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fix(assert): assert_date_* no longer accepts unparseable input #968
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