initialize

Bash: Associative array initialization and usage

Just as in other programming languages, associative arrays in Bash are useful for search, set management, and keying into a list of values.  The label may be different, but whether called “map”, “dictionary”, or “associative array”, the same concepts apply. In its simplest form, here is an initialization and then loop through the key/value pairs. Bash: Associative array initialization and usage