The error message says it all. However, as a help to such problems in the future, you can adopt some practices:

1. Comment out the line that is throwing up an error like so:

recent_files=($(ls -t | head -20))

and run

bash -n myScript.sh

This will check errors in the script.

2. Comment out a block of lines like so:

: << 'EOF'

lines

of

code

EOF

and run

bash -n myScript.sh

Using this methodology, you will be able to zoom in on the erroneous line in your script.

Coming back to your specific problem, many have already answered what is causing it - the spaces around the = sign.

The error message says it all. However, as a help to such problems in the future, you can adopt some practices:

1. Comment out the line that is throwing up an error like so:

recent_files=($(ls -t | head -20))

and run

bash -n myScript.sh

This will check errors in the script.

2. Comment out a block of lines like so:

    : << 'EOF'
    lines
    of
    code
    EOF
   

and run

bash -n myScript.sh

Using this methodology, you will be able to zoom in on the erroneous line in your script.

Coming back to your specific problem, many have already answered what is causing it - the spaces around the = sign.