Jobscript

Jobscript is a plain text file used to describe a computational job to a batch system or workload manager. It is commonly employed in high‑performance computing, data processing pipelines, and cloud automation to declare the resources a task needs, how the environment should be prepared, and which commands should be executed. The job script serves as the interface through which users submit, monitor, and account for work in an automated, reproducible manner.

Most job scripts begin with a shebang line and a set of directives that declare scheduling options and resource requirements. The exact syntax depends on the workload manager. For example, Slurm uses #SBATCH directives, PBS uses #PBS, and Grid Engine uses $. Common directives specify the job name, output and error files, the number of tasks or CPUs, memory, time limits, and the target partition or queue. A minimal Slurm header might include lines such as:

The remainder of the script usually loads modules, sets up the environment, and runs the application commands.

Usage involves writing the script, submitting it with a command such as sbatch, qsub, or bsub, and letting the scheduler manage queuing and execution. The script may specify job dependencies, so tasks run after others complete, and it typically directs output and error logs to defined files.

Portability across schedulers is limited. Many users rely on wrappers or standardized conventions to ease transitions between systems, while thorough documentation and reproducible environment setup improve reliability and auditability.