Python sys Module Overview

Explore the sys module in Python, which provides functions and variables for manipulating the Python runtime environment. Learn about sys.argv for accessing command line arguments passed to a script, with an example demonstrating how to retrieve and print these arguments.

Python - sys Module

The sys module in Python provides functions and variables to manipulate different parts of the Python runtime environment. Below are some of its important features:

sys.argv

sys.argv returns a list of command line arguments passed to a Python script. Index 0 in this list is always the script name, and subsequent indices store the arguments.

import sys

print("You entered: ", sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], sys.argv[3])

You entered: Python C# Java

In the above example, if executed with arguments Python C# Java, sys.argv[1] would be 'Python', sys.argv[2] would be 'C#', and sys.argv[3] would be 'Java'.

sys.exit

sys.exit causes a script to exit to the Python console or command prompt. It's used to terminate the program safely, especially in case of exceptions.

sys.maxsize

sys.maxsize returns the largest integer variable can take.

import sys

print(sys.maxsize)  # Output: 9223372036854775807

sys.path

sys.path is an environment variable that provides a search path for all Python modules.

import sys

print(sys.path)

sys.version

sys.version displays the version number of the current Python interpreter.

import sys

print(sys.version)