Shell

Definition: When speaking of Python programming, there are two shells that are commonly referenced. The first is the shell in which the command is executed. This is sometimes called the terminal or prompt. On Windows machines, it is sometimes called a DOS prompt. On Linux, it is called a BASH prompt, and, on other forms of Unix, it is called variously Korn Shell, C Shell, and other names. Within Python, however, another shell exists. The Python interpreter has an interactive mode. This is accessed by simply typing 'python' in the terminal shell. The Python interpreter will then launch and will await your programming. This can be a great sandbox for trying out new ideas with immediate feedback, but be careful. In the interactive shell, iterative loops execute immediately upon being closed!