Keep scripts idempotent and document assumptions—knowing what state your script expects prevents accidental downtime. Use set -euo pipefail, shellcheck, and shfmt for safety and consistency. Manage temporary files securely with mktemp, check for adequate permissions before operations, and avoid hard-coded paths or credentials. Modularize logic into functions and centralize configuration to simplify updates. Log actions and errors clearly with timestamped messages to make troubleshooting straightforward. Prefer small, well-tested scripts invoked by orchestrators rather than large monoliths. Share playbooks or snippets on the forum; admins often exchange time-saving tricks and reuse patterns that cut weeks of toil.