python receive command line arguments code example

Example 1: pass argument to a py file

import sys

def hello(a,b):
    print "hello and that's your sum:", a + b

if __name__ == "__main__":
    a = int(sys.argv[1])
    b = int(sys.argv[2])
    hello(a, b)
# If you type : py main.py 1 5
# It should give you "hello and that's your sum:6"

Example 2: read argument from terminal

#!/usr/bin/python

import sys

print 'Number of arguments:', len(sys.argv), 'arguments.'
print 'Argument List:', str(sys.argv)

#Terminal
# $ python test.py arg1 arg2 arg3

#print
#Number of arguments: 4 arguments.
#Argument List: ['test.py', 'arg1', 'arg2', 'arg3']

Example 3: cli args python

import argparse

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Process some integers.')
parser.add_argument('integers', metavar='N', type=int, nargs='+',
                   help='an integer for the accumulator')
parser.add_argument('--sum', dest='accumulate', action='store_const',
                   const=sum, default=max,
                   help='sum the integers (default: find the max)')

args = parser.parse_args()
print(args.accumulate(args.integers))