How to Run a Bash Script from Python
Bash scripting is a powerful and versatile scripting language commonly used in Linux and UNIX systems. It is often used as a tool for automating tasks, allowing users to quickly and easily create scripts to run complex commands and automate repetitive tasks. While Bash scripting is useful in its own right, it can also be used in conjunction with other scripting languages, such as Python. In this article, we will discuss how to run a Bash script from within Python.
The first step to running a Bash script from Python is to make sure the script is properly formatted and executable. Bash scripts must begin with the following line:
!/bin/bash
This line tells the operating system that the script is written in Bash and should be executed with the Bash interpreter. Once the script is properly formatted, it can be run from Python in the following manner:
import subprocess
script_file = ‘path/to/script.sh’
subprocess.run([script_file])
This code will execute the Bash script and return the output. Alternatively, you can also call the script directly from the command line:
$ bash path/to/script.sh
If you would like to pass arguments to the Bash script, you can do so in a similar manner. For example, if you would like to pass the argument -t to the script, you could do the following:
import subprocess
script_file = ‘path/to/script.sh’
arguments = [‘-t’]
subprocess.run([script_file] + arguments)
Alternatively, you can also call the script directly from the command line with the arguments:
$ bash path/to/script.sh -t
It is also possible to capture the output of the script in a variable. To do this, you must pass the capture_output argument to the run method. For example:
import subprocess
script_file = ‘path/to/script.sh’
output = subprocess.run([script_file], capture_output=True).stdout
This code will capture the output from the script and store it in the output variable.
Finally, if you would like to run the script as a background process, you can use the Popen method instead. For example:
import subprocess
script_file = ‘path/to/script.sh’
process = subprocess.Popen([script_file], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
This code will execute the script as a background process, allowing you to continue executing other code while the script runs.
In conclusion, running a Bash script from Python is a straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should have no trouble running a Bash script from Python. With the ability to pass arguments, capture output, and run scripts as background processes, Bash scripts can be a powerful tool for automating tasks in Python