A Python Example
Suppose we wish to make an executable in Python. We can write a Python script which will input a number and return its square.We want to run this executable. If we have Python installed, we can run the file simply by using the following command:
python <filename>
But suppose we want to run this program without using the Python command? In other words, can we run the Python script square.py only using ./square.py and without using the python command?
Yes, you can, and that’s where the Shebang comes into play.
Using Shebang in Linux
Imagine you’re working on a Linux computer and have a recipe with instructions written in different languages. But your computer only understands English! That’s where the shebang comes in. It’s like a tiny label at the beginning of the recipe that tells your computer which “translator” to use for each language. This magic symbol, #!
, followed by the interpreter’s path, is the key to understanding and running all sorts of scripts on your system.