display in quotes running code given in arguments and standard input other code format specification options allow you to give python code to be run on the command line itself (- )and accept code to run from the standard input stream ( means read from pipe or redirected input stream fileterms also defined in full elsewhere in this text) :\codepython - "print( * ) read code from command argument :\codepython - "import showargs['- 'import file to run its code :\codepython showargs py - ['-'' '' ''- 'read code from standard input :\codepython - showargs py ['-'' '' ''- 'same effect as prior line running modules on the search path the - code specification locates module on python' module search path and then runs it as top-level script (as module __main__that isit looks up script the same way import operations dousing the directory list normally known as sys pathwhich includes the current directorypythonpath settingsand standard libraries leave off the pysuffix hereas the filename is treated as module :\codepython - showargs - [' :\\code\\showargs py'' '' ''- 'locate/run module as script the - option also supports running toolsmodules in packages with and without relative import syntaxand modules located in zip archives for instancethis switch is commonly used to run the pdb debugger and profile profiler modules from command line for script invocationrather than interactivelyc:\codepython import pdb pdb run('import showargs'more omittedsee pdb docs interactve debugger session :\codepython - pdb showargs py - :\code\showargs py( )(-import sys (pdbc ['showargs py'' '' ''- 'more omittedq to exit debugging script ( =continuethe profiler runs and times your codeits output can vary per pythonoperating systemand computerconfiguring python