Open In App

Run python script from anywhere in linux

Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save
Share
Report

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

Prerequisite:

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.



Last Updated : 03 Nov, 2019
Like Article
Save Article
Previous
Next
Share your thoughts in the comments
Similar Reads