Linux Export command syntax

Question

What is the difference between these two command lines?

export PATH=/usr/local/something/bin${PATH:+:${PATH}}
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/something/bin/

Using Ubuntu 16.04 command shell.

Answer 1

Like larsks said, the difference is based on whether the executable you are adding a PATH to is matched/found first or after the existing PATH you have is exhausted. It will matter if you have two executables named the same thing, or for speed.