If so, I’m tired of hearing:

Source control?  That’s for developers.

We write and use scripts.  Scripts are source code.  We need to manage, version, and distribute our scripts.  

Source control offers tooling to help with that.  Go learn it.

Programming standards?  I don’t program, but I only write scripts.

Scripting is programming, just with the connotation that it isn’t being done by a professional.  It’s an excuse for lack of error handling and logging.  It’s an excuse for sloppy code.  

We need to understand the languages we work with, enough to identify code smells (those things that indicate anti-patterns or potential problems).  Go read a book about coding standards or watch some of Uncle Bob’s videos.

Testing?  If my script runs, it’s working.  Besides, I don’t have time for that.

So, we’ve written a script.. but how do we know it works?  Will it work when your co-worker Brent tries to run it at 3AM and forgets a required parameter?  What happens when you hit an error halfway through?

Testing offers a way to isolate parts of your scripts and verify they do what you think they do.  Look at the test frameworks available for the languages you script in.  There’s even a unit testing framework for Unix shell scripts (which I have no direct experience with, so YMMV).  Find a framework and use it.

 

Let’s Step Up Our Game

I’m guilty of the above assertions, but I’m working to change that.  Professionalism demands that we do better.  We owe it to ourselves, our coworkers, and our employers to do no less.

Oh, and by the way.. we are responsible for our learning and growth - not our employers (though the good ones provide ample opportunity for learning).