run-python-script

name	run-python-script
description	Use when: running an ad hoc Python script, using python -c for inspection or file transforms, editing ZIP/XLSX/XML files with Python, or choosing between python and python3 on macOS/Linux/Windows. Keywords: python script, python3, python -c, zipfile, one-off Python command, interpreter check.

Run Python Script

This skill standardizes how to run short Python helpers safely in this workspace.

Scope

Use this skill when the task needs a one-off Python script for inspection, transformation, extraction, archive editing, or verification.

Goal

Run Python helper logic with the right interpreter, without tripping over shell quoting or assuming python exists.

Interpreter Selection

1. On this machine, python does not exist. Always use python3 directly — do not probe with which python or command -v python first.
2. Do not activate virtual environments for this repo unless the user explicitly asks.
3. Use python3 consistently for the whole task.

Default Approach

1. For short read-only inspection, python3 -c '...' is acceptable if quoting is simple.
2. For multi-line, regex-heavy, XML/ZIP-heavy, or mutating work, prefer a temporary .py script file over a long python3 -c command.
3. Keep scripts read-only unless the task explicitly requires writing output.
4. For file transforms, write to a temporary output first and replace the original only after the expected change is verified.
5. Print a concise summary such as affected paths or replacement counts.

Shell Rules

• Use bash-compatible syntax for commands.
• python does not exist here; always use python3.
• Avoid inline heredocs for Python snippets in Git Bash or mixed shell environments.
• Avoid long python3 -c commands when nested quotes, XML, JSON, or regular expressions make shell parsing fragile.

File Safety Rules

• For ZIP-based files such as .xlsx, preserve archive entries and rewrite only the intended member files.
• Validate expected match counts before replacing content.
• Fail loudly with a clear error if the target pattern is absent or appears more times than expected.
• Do not stage, commit, or push unless explicitly requested.

Preferred Patterns

Short one-liner:

python3 -c 'print("ok")'

Temporary script:

python3 path/to/temp_script.py

Expected Output

When using this skill:

• Use python3 directly; no interpreter probing.
• Keep side effects explicit and narrowly scoped.
• Report what was changed or measured.

Do Not

• Do not call python — it does not exist on this machine; use python3.
• Do not probe for the interpreter (which python, command -v python) before running.
• Do not use Python heredocs for inline scripts in Git Bash or cross-platform sessions.
• Do not overwrite source files before checking expected match counts.
• Do not leave temporary helper scripts behind unless they are intentionally useful.