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Implement a formatted shell script output

AmazonSoftware Engineer · Technical Screen
MediumSoftware EngineerTechnical ScreenCoding & Algorithms

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This interview question evaluates algorithm design, data structures, correctness, complexity, edge cases, and implementation details in a realistic interview setting. A strong answer for Implement a formatted shell script output states assumptions, handles edge cases, explains trade-offs, and shows how to validate the result clearly.

Write a shell script named script.sh that is invoked as: ./script.sh <username> <path_of_file>. It must print a single line formatted exactly as: <timestamp> <license> user@hostname. Use the supplied username and the current machine’s hostname, and parse the license value from the file at <path_of_file>. Include argument validation (missing args), file existence/permission checks, and clearly define the timestamp format you choose.