Run python script from anywhere in linux

In Linux, there is a way to execute python files from anywhere. This can be done by typing several commands in the terminal.

Prerequisite:

• Basic Shell Commands in Linux
• Basics of python

Steps:

• At first, open the terminal and go to the home directory. To go the home directory type the following command.

  cd ~

• Create a folder and a python script inside that folder. Let the name of the folder be “check” and name of the script be “file1”. Type the following command to perform the above operations.

  mkdir check
  cd check
  touch file1.py
  

• Then type this script in the file1.py

  import os
  i = 1
  
  # Write the path where to create the directories
  path ="/home / dev / test/"
  try:
      while i<5:
          os.mkdir(path+"file"+str(i))
          i+= 1
  except OSError:
      print("File creation failed !!")

  This script will create 4 directories in the specified path.
• Then to find where the python is installed in the system type the below commands.
  For python 2.7

  which python

  For python 3

  which python3

• Copy the output and add this in the starting of the script e.g if output is /usr/bin/python3 then write the below command in the starting of the script.

  #!/usr/bin/python3

  So the python script would look like

  #! usr / bin / python3
  import os
  i = 1
  # Write the path where to create the directories
  path ="/home / dev / test/"
  try:
      while i<5:
          os.mkdir(path+"file"+str(i))
          i+= 1
  except OSError:
      print("File creation failed !!")
• Type the following command to get the path of the working directory, starting from the root.

  pwd

  Let it be /home/usr/check

• Add this path in $PATH variable. For this type in terminal

  sudo nano .bashrc

  Before this command make sure that you are in the home directory.
  Then add this line in the file

  export PATH=$PATH:/home/dev/check

  This will get added to the path variable. Then type

   source ~/.bashrc

• Close the terminal and open again. Now we can run the python file directly from anywhere in the terminal by typing the file name

  file1.py

This will create the four directories in the check folder. Now any python file placed in the check directory we can be executed from anywhere in the terminal by typing the file name.