Run multiple python scripts concurrently

Question

How can I run multiple python scripts? At the moment I run one like so python script1.py.

I've tried python script1.py script2.py and that doesn't work: only the first script is run. Also, I've tried using a single file like this;

import script1
import script2

python script1.py
python script2.py

However this doesn't work either.

Answer 1

With Bash:

python script1.py &
python script2.py &

That's the entire script. It will run the two Python scripts at the same time.

Python could do the same thing itself but it would take a lot more typing and is a bad choice for the problem at hand.

I think it's possible though that you are taking the wrong approach to solving your problem, and I'd like to hear what you're getting at.

Answer 2

The simplest solution to run two Python processes concurrently is to run them from a bash file, and tell each process to go into the background with the & shell operator.

python script1.py &
python script2.py &

For a more controlled way to run many processes in parallel, look into the Supervisor project, or use the multiprocessing module to orchestrate from inside Python.

Answer 3

I am working in Windows 7 with Python IDLE. I have two programs,

# progA
while True:
    m = input('progA is running ')
    print (m)

and

# progB
while True:
    m = input('progB is running ')
    print (m)

I open up IDLE and then open file progA.py. I run the program, and when prompted for input I enter "b" + <Enter> and then "c" + <Enter>

I am looking at this window:

Python 3.6.3 (v3.6.3:2c5fed8, Oct  3 2017, 17:26:49) [MSC v.1900 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
>>> 
= RESTART: C:\Users\Mike\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32\progA.py =
progA is running b
b
progA is running c
c
progA is running 

Next, I go back to Windows Start and open up IDLE again, this time opening file progB.py. I run the program, and when prompted for input I enter "x" + <Enter> and then "y" + <Enter>

I am looking at this window:

Python 3.6.3 (v3.6.3:2c5fed8, Oct  3 2017, 17:26:49) [MSC v.1900 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
>>> 
= RESTART: C:\Users\Mike\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32\progB.py =
progB is running x
x
progB is running y
y
progB is running 

Now two IDLE Python 3.6.3 Shell programs are running at the same time, one shell running progA while the other one is running progB.