Jobscripts

Jobscripts are files that describe the execution of a unit of work within a job management or automation system. They provide a portable, repeatable specification of tasks, including the commands to run, the resources required, and the data flow between steps. They are used in batch processing, data pipelines, software builds, and deployment automation.

A typical jobscript includes a metadata block describing the job name, version, dependencies, and required resources such as CPU, memory, and runtime. It also specifies the environment setup (modules or virtual environments), input and output locations, and error handling or retry policy. The execution section contains the commands or script fragments to run, often organized to execute in stages or with parallel tasks. In many systems, the script may separate the declarative metadata from the executable steps, while other systems embed everything in a single script.

Formats and usage vary widely. Jobscripts may be written in declarative languages like YAML or JSON or as executable shell scripts with embedded metadata. In cluster environments, a jobscript interacts with a scheduler to request resources, configure the environment, and run tasks. In workflow engines, jobscripts map to steps in a directed acyclic graph, enabling complex dependencies and conditional execution.

Impact and best practices focus on reproducibility, auditing, and automated operation. Common recommendations include version controlling the jobscripts, avoiding hard-coded secrets, parameterizing inputs, and validating resource estimates. Security considerations emphasize least privilege, access controls, and clear separation between data and configuration.

See also job scheduling, workflow automation, batch processing, and CI/CD pipelines.