How do I run a .py file in Python shell?

Gina 151 Published: 07/18/2024

How do I run a .py file in Python shell?

I'm happy to help!

To run a .py file in the Python shell, you have a few options:

Option 1: Using the python command

Open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where your .py file is located. Then, type the following command:

python your_file.py

Replace your_file.py with the actual name of your Python script file.

For example, if you have a file called hello.py, you would run it like this:

python hello.py

Option 2: Using the -c option

Another way to run a .py file is by using the -c option. This method allows you to execute a specific code block or script directly from the Python shell.

Here's how:

Open your terminal or command prompt. Start an interactive Python session:
python

Once in the Python shell, use the following command:
exec(open('your_file.py').read())

Again, replace your_file.py with the actual name of your Python script file.

Option 3: Using the run module

The run module provides a simple way to execute Python code from the shell. Here's how:

Install the run module if you haven't already:
pip install run

Once installed, open your terminal or command prompt. Use the following command to run your script file:
run -i your_file.py

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you have the correct path to your .py file. The python command will look for the file in the current working directory. If your file has any dependencies or libraries that need to be imported, ensure they are installed using pip install <library_name> before running the script. When using option 1, you can also specify the Python version by adding the -m option. For example:
python3 -m your_file.py

There you have it! Three easy ways to run a .py file in the Python shell. Choose the method that best suits your needs and coding style. Happy coding!

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