running a python script from the terminal

November 1, 2023

Title: How to Run a Python Script from the Terminal
Introduction:
Running Python scripts from the terminal is a fundamental skill for any Python developer. This tutorial will guide you through the process of executing Python scripts using the command line interface (CLI). We’ll cover the basic commands and provide code examples to help you get started.
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
Python installed on your system. You can download it from the official Python website (https://www.python.org/downloads/).
A code editor (e.g., Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or any text editor you prefer).
Create a Python Script:
Start by creating a Python script using your preferred code editor. Save it with a .py extension. For this tutorial, let’s create a simple script named hello.py.
Open the Terminal:
Open your system’s terminal or command prompt. You can usually find it by searching for “Command Prompt” on Windows, “Terminal” on macOS, or “Linux Terminal” on Linux.
Navigate to the Script’s Directory:
Use the cd (change directory) command to navigate to the directory where your Python script is located. For example, if your script is in the Documents directory, you can navigate there with the following command (on macOS or Linux):
Run the Python Script:
To execute the script, use the python command followed by the script’s filename. In our case, it’s hello.py.
If you have multiple versions of Python installed, specify the version by using python3 instead of python, like this:
After running the command, you should see the output in your terminal:
Congratulations! You’ve successfully run a Python script from the terminal.
You can pass command-line arguments to your Python script. These arguments can be accessed using the sys.argv list from the sys module. Here’s how to use them:
Modify the Python Script:
Update your hello.py script to accept a command-line argument and print it.
Run the Script with Arguments:
Run the script with an additional argument in the terminal. For example:
The output will be:
You can pass different names as arguments to personalize the output.
Running Python scripts from the terminal is a basic skill every Python developer should have. With this tutorial, you’ve learned how to create and run Python scripts, as well as how to handle command-line arguments in your scripts. This knowledge will serve as a foundation for more advanced scripting and automation tasks in Python.
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