diff --git a/helpers/logging.sh b/helpers/logging.sh
index 22ef1a2..afde1b7 100644
--- a/helpers/logging.sh
+++ b/helpers/logging.sh
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ logging_debug() {
   fi
 }
 
-function logging_warn() {
+logging_warn() {
   if [ "${ELL_LOG_LEVEL}" -ge 4 ]; then
     echo "${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}[${LOG_STYLE_RESET}$(date +'%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}]${LOG_STYLE_RESET} $(basename "${0}") ${LOG_STYLE_WARN}WARN${LOG_STYLE_RESET} ${*}" >&2;
   fi
 }
 
-function logging_info() {
+logging_info() {
   if [ "${ELL_LOG_LEVEL}" -ge 4 ]; then
     printf "%s" "${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}[${LOG_STYLE_RESET}$(date +'%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}]${LOG_STYLE_RESET} $(basename "${0}") " >&2;
   fi
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function logging_info() {
   fi
 }
 
-function logging_error() {
+logging_error() {
   if [ "${ELL_LOG_LEVEL}" -ge 4 ]; then
     printf "%s" "${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}[${LOG_STYLE_RESET}$(date +'%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}]${LOG_STYLE_RESET} $(basename "${0}") " >&2;
   fi
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function logging_error() {
   fi
 }
 
-function logging_fatal() {
+logging_fatal() {
   if [ "${ELL_LOG_LEVEL}" -ge 4 ]; then
     printf "%s" "${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}[${LOG_STYLE_RESET}$(date +'%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')${LOG_STYLE_PUNC}]${LOG_STYLE_RESET} $(basename "${0}") " >&2;
   fi
@@ -50,4 +50,4 @@ function logging_fatal() {
   fi
 }
 
-export -f logging_debug logging_info logging_warn logging_error logging_fatal;
\ No newline at end of file
+export logging_debug logging_info logging_warn logging_error logging_fatal;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/helpers/parse_arguments.sh b/helpers/parse_arguments.sh
index 4ba9699..e01d868 100644
--- a/helpers/parse_arguments.sh
+++ b/helpers/parse_arguments.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ print_version() {
   echo "${0} $ELL_VERSION https://github.com/simonmysun/ell";
 }
 
-function parse_arguments() {
+parse_arguments() {
   if [ ${#} -eq 0 ]; then
     if [ "x${ELL_RECORD}" = "xtrue" ]; then
       logging_debug "Record mode enabled. Context is used.";
diff --git a/helpers/piping.sh b/helpers/piping.sh
index ed9c6ef..11ae469 100755
--- a/helpers/piping.sh
+++ b/helpers/piping.sh
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ piping() {
   fi
 }
 
-export -f piping;
\ No newline at end of file
+export piping;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/llm_backends/ell_echo/generate_completion.sh b/llm_backends/ell_echo/generate_completion.sh
index dc2a771..be2f372 100644
--- a/llm_backends/ell_echo/generate_completion.sh
+++ b/llm_backends/ell_echo/generate_completion.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 # This is a dummy function that echoes the input. Designed for debugging and testing purposes.
 
-function generate_completion() {
+generate_completion() {
   cat -;
 }
 
-export -f generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
+export generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/llm_backends/gemini/generate_completion.sh b/llm_backends/gemini/generate_completion.sh
index 588cf91..b6363c5 100644
--- a/llm_backends/gemini/generate_completion.sh
+++ b/llm_backends/gemini/generate_completion.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-function generate_completion() {
+generate_completion() {
   if [ "x${ELL_API_STREAM}" != "xtrue" ]; then
     logging_debug "Streaming disabled";
     response=$(cat - | curl "${ELL_API_URL}${ELL_LLM_MODEL}:generateContent" \
@@ -93,4 +93,4 @@ function generate_completion() {
   fi
 }
 
-export -f generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
+export generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/llm_backends/openai/generate_completion.sh b/llm_backends/openai/generate_completion.sh
index 59dec22..7e38927 100644
--- a/llm_backends/openai/generate_completion.sh
+++ b/llm_backends/openai/generate_completion.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-function generate_completion() {
+generate_completion() {
   if [ "x${ELL_API_STREAM}" != "xtrue" ]; then
     logging_debug "Streaming disabled";
     response=$(cat - | curl "${ELL_API_URL}" \
@@ -81,4 +81,4 @@ function generate_completion() {
   fi
 }
 
-export -f generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
+export generate_completion;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/syntax_highlight/50_post_llm.sh b/plugins/syntax_highlight/50_post_llm.sh
index b651b89..6069423 100755
--- a/plugins/syntax_highlight/50_post_llm.sh
+++ b/plugins/syntax_highlight/50_post_llm.sh
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ if [ "x${TO_TTY}" = "xtrue" ]; then
 
   CURRENT_LINE="";
 
-  function current_style() {
+  current_style() {
     # Set the style based on the current state of the syntax highlighting.
     printf "%b" "${STYLE_RESET}";
     if [ "x${IN_LINK_TEXT}" = "xtrue" ]; then
diff --git a/tests/piping.sh b/tests/piping.sh
index 21df753..d896512 100644
--- a/tests/piping.sh
+++ b/tests/piping.sh
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@
 
 set -o posix;
 
-function inc() {
+inc() {
   while read -r -N 1 char; do
     printf '%s' $(( (char + 1) % 10 ));
   done
 }
 
-export -f inc;
+export -f inc; # why -f is necessary?
 
 . "$(dirname "${0}")/../helpers/piping.sh";