shell-next

Persistent asynchronous Bash, PowerShell, and cmd sessions for Python 3.14+.

from shell_next import Backend, ProcessCommand, SessionConfig, use_shell_session


async def inspect_repository(config: SessionConfig):
    async with use_shell_session(config) as shell:
        await shell.chdir("/srv/project")
        result = await shell.run(ProcessCommand("git", ("status", "--short")), check=True)
        return result.stdout.tail

Use ProcessCommand for executable arguments that must remain structural. Use SessionScript for backend-native scripts and persistent shell variables, functions, and aliases. Shell syntax is never translated between languages.

Install with python -m pip install shell-next. Supply SessionConfig(backend=Backend.BASH) on Linux, or select Backend.POWERSHELL (PowerShell 7 installed) or Backend.CMD on Windows. Python 3.14+ is required.

Interactive commands

from shell_next import CommandOptions, StdinMode


async def answer_prompt(shell, program):
    options = CommandOptions(stdin=StdinMode.MANUAL)
    async with shell.command(program, options=options, timeout=30) as command:
        await command.expect(b"Name: ")
        await command.sendline(b"Ada")
        await command.close_stdin()
        return await command.wait()

submit() immediately registers a command and returns its handle. One session executes one command at a time; the default policy rejects concurrent submissions. ConcurrencyPolicy.QUEUE enables FIFO queuing. Different sessions run independently.

Cancelling wait() cancels observation only. Cancelling run() or escaping a command context requests termination. A force-stopped shell becomes unusable; create another session explicitly when required.

Deterministic application tests

from shell_next import Emit, MockExpectation, MockScenario, MockShellSession

scenario = MockScenario(
    [
        MockExpectation(ProcessCommand("git", ("status", "--short")), (Emit(b" M README.md\n"),)),
    ]
)
config = SessionConfig()
config._session_cls = MockShellSession.configured(scenario)

Pass this same configuration to application code using use_shell_session. The mock shares production lifecycle code while keeping execution, state, input, and output in memory. Unmatched commands and unconsumed strict expectations fail. Advance(60) advances mock time without sleeping. Plain config._session_cls = MockShellSession creates an empty strict scenario.

Capture and capabilities

Output is bytes. Each stream retains a bounded tail (64 KiB by default), and literal prompt matching uses a separate bounded window. Slow event subscribers receive an overflow error without blocking primary capture. Opt into full capture with CaptureConfig(directory=existing_directory). Results distinguish received bytes, durable file bytes, truncation, sealing, and possible unread output.

Inspect shell.capabilities before requesting backend-specific behavior. Windows active elevation and terminal/PowerShell Host prompt automation are unsupported. The library is a process-management API, not a security sandbox for untrusted scripts.

See the development specification, usage guide, architecture, and release checklist.

Development

python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"
python -m ruff check .
python -m mypy
python -m pytest --cov --cov-branch
python -m build
python -m twine check dist/*

The package uses only the Python standard library at runtime. Tests that start real shells are marked integration. Test files mirror production responsibilities; reusable test infrastructure lives in tests/support.