exec is essentially hardcoded to /bin/sh by _PATH_BSHELL #6456
Description
Welcome
- Yes, I'm using the latest major release or the current development version. These are the only supported versions.
- Yes, I've searched similar issues and discussions on GitHub and didn't find any.
Current Behavior
This has been so ever since 2013, so I am hesitant to raise the issue (see original commit
f691a55)
The issue is that I cannot "shell out" using my own preferred shell, unless:
- I change the system /bin/sh symlink (e.g. from dash to bash), affecting everything system-wide from cron to systemd
- Compile my own i3.
In my use case, /bin/sh aka /bin/dash is clearing my env from Bash's function exports. Preventing doing more advanced scripting efficiently. I would guess other shells that use non-standard env (ie. zshell functions) are similarly affected.
Above commit is my change, and in my perception that is the right way. I do no see any issue with using env SHELL, except trying to protect users. So that depends on i3 project vision and policy. Also I get that shells can be a difficult and complex subject, and that non-standard env could be a contentious subject. But I just want to use the full power of my shell environment, and it makes sense to start with that at the profile and rc scripts.
Expected Behavior
Unless there is good reason to do so, I expect i3 to shell out using the same env as it received on startup.
Reproduction Instructions
Bash:
foo () { :; }
export -f foo
In subprocess this should work if env was unchanged by other intermediate processes:
env | grep BASH_FUNC_foo
< BASH_FUNC_foo%%=() { :; }
declare -F foo
declare -f foo
i3 version
Binary i3 version: 4.24+ © 2009 Michael Stapelberg and contributors
Running i3 version: 4.24+ (pid 15750)
Loaded i3 config:
/home/hari/.config/i3/config (main) (last modified: Sat 28 Jun 2025 07:10:06 AM CEST, 53385 seconds ago)
The i3 binary you just called: /usr/local/bin/i3
The i3 binary you are running: i3
Config file
exec --no-startup-id ">&2 declare -f foo"
exec --no-startup-id "env | >&2 grep BASH_FUNC_"
Linux distribution & Version
Debian 13 trixie
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Other
Logfile
No response