How do we use Python in script mode?

Python is a high-level programming language that helps users to run programs and integrate systems efficiently. In Python, code can be executed in two ways ?

• Interactive Mode
• Script Mode

In this article, we will learn how to execute a Python program in script mode, which is the preferred method for writing larger programs and saving them for future use.

What is Python Script Mode?

Script mode in Python allows us to write Python code in files with the .py extension and run the entire program at once. This mode is suitable for writing larger programs that can be saved, modified, and reused.

Unlike interactive mode where commands are executed line by line, script mode enables us to execute multiple lines of code stored in a Python file. This approach is more efficient and maintainable for developing applications.

Steps to Run Python in Script Mode

Follow these steps to execute a Python program in script mode ?

• Step 1: Open any text editor (Notepad, VS Code, PyCharm) and write your Python code
• Step 2: Save the file with a .py extension, for example sample.py
• Step 3: Open terminal or command prompt in the directory where the file is saved
• Step 4: Type python filename.py and press Enter

Example

Let's create a simple Python script that demonstrates script mode execution ?

Step 1: Create a file named sample.py with the following content ?

print("Welcome to TutorialsPoint!")
name = input("Enter your name: ")
age = input("Enter your age: ")
print(f"Hello {name}, you are {age} years old!")

Step 2: Open terminal and navigate to the file location, then run ?

python sample.py

Output:

Welcome to TutorialsPoint!
Enter your name: Alice
Enter your age: 25
Hello Alice, you are 25 years old!

Advantages of Script Mode

Common Script Mode Commands

Here are different ways to run Python scripts ?

# Basic execution
python script.py

# Execute with Python 3 specifically
python3 script.py

# Run script with command line arguments
python script.py arg1 arg2

# Execute script from different directory
python /path/to/script.py

Conclusion

Script mode is the standard way to run Python programs in production environments. It allows you to write, save, and execute complete programs efficiently. Use script mode for any program longer than a few lines or when you need to save your work for future use.