Python/Unix Hybrid Demoed at PyCon (xon.sh)

A new shell "combines the Python language with features of Bash Unix and the fish and zsh shells," according to InfoWorld. An anonymous reader writes: Pronounced "conch," but spelled Xonsh, it runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X systems, bringing Python libraries to the command line -- for example, the ability to use regular expressions when globbing files. "The first thing you'll notice about Xonsh is that it's really meant to be used as a general-purpose shell," the lead developer explained in a presentation at PyCon. "But on the other hand, it really is Python, so you can do things like add two numbers together."

They're describing it as "a Python-ish, BASHwards-looking shell language and command prompt...a superset of Python 3.4+ with additional support for the best parts of shells that you are used to, such as Bash, zsh, fish, and IPython...the superglue that bonds Python to a command-line interface and other shells."

Comments

Not excited

[fph il quozientatore]

1. What is so awesome about adding two numbers in the shell?
2. In any case, bash can do it too -- try echo $((15+7)).
3. One of the selling points of bash is that it needs to be fast for power users, so it uses cd instead of change_directory(). One of the selling points of Python is that readability counts, so it would choose change_directory() over cd. How do you plan to reconcile the two approaches?

Re:So not really a Python/Unix hybrid

[dbIII]

It's a beige box is the "hard drive" or a operating system means solitaire game but not device drivers moment - just live with the feeble redefinitions of those that never learned the real definition.

Re:Python

[fluffernutter]

Yeah I can't really get that excited about a programming language either way. I just use the tool for the job.