pyesh

Python Expanded Shell: a cross-platform, Python-oriented interactive and scripting shell with direct process execution, typed Python pipelines, configurable user files, and command plugins.

pyesh is its own shell language rather than a Bash interpreter. Explicit .sh and .ps1 files continue to run through installed Bash and PowerShell runtimes.

Highlights

• Job tracking with jobs, wait, fg, bg, kill, and disown; POSIX terminal job control.
• Environment, aliases, history, directory stacks, portable output, and input built-ins.
• Pipelines, conditions, per-stage redirection, heredocs, and pipefail.
• Session variables, special parameters, command substitution, home expansion, and globs.
• Stateful native Python at the prompt.
• Typed @variable:datatype pipeline input and capture.
• Explicit Python, Bash, and PowerShell script dispatch.
• source/deactivate support for Python virtual environments.
• Colorful live syntax highlighting, arrow-key history, and Tab completion.
• Custom prompt, environment, PATH, startup, history, and plugin files.
• Named JSON profiles for complete terminal and session customization.
• Persistent Rich-powered customizable welcome splash.
• Active-venv Python selection and optional venv-local pyesh startup files.
• Stateful Python automation API.

Install and run

Requires Python 3.9 or newer:

python -m pip install -e .
pyesh --init
pyesh
pyesh -c 'echo "hello $(printf world)"'
pyesh automation.pyesh one two
printf 'echo from-stdin\n' | pyesh -

pyesh and python -m pyesh are equivalent.

user@machine project (main) % echo "hello"
hello
user@machine project (main) % numbers = [1, 2, 3]
user@machine project (main) % @numbers:lines | @copy:lines
user@machine project (main) % copy
['1', '2', '3']

Run help or man inside the shell. Use pyesh --help for command-line options and pyesh --version for package and interpreter locations. Run welcome for a customizable splash summarizing the current runtime and session. Configure its template and automatic startup in ~/.pyesh_welcome.

Documentation

The documentation links the complete project guides. See the Changelog and development guide for project history and development workflow.

Quick examples

Operators and scripts:

./examples/hello.py
./examples/hello.sh | grep Bash
failing-command || echo fallback
echo first > output.txt ; echo second >> output.txt

Virtual environment:

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
deactivate

Python automation:

from pyesh import PyeshSession

session = PyeshSession(verbose=True)
status = session.run_argv(["python", "./examples/hello.py"])

Language boundary

Python syntax supplies control flow and reusable functions. Bash functions, Bash parameter-expansion extensions, process substitution, and arbitrary file descriptor manipulation are not implemented. POSIX interactive job control is supported; Windows cannot suspend/resume jobs. Plugin capabilities beyond commands remain planned.

License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.