script

A script is a written text that guides a performance or a computer program. In the performing arts, scripts contain dialogue, actions, and stage directions and are used for plays, films, radio, and television. In computing, a script is a program or a set of commands executed by an interpreter or runtime environment to automate tasks or control software.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin scriptus, meaning written, through Old French script, from scribere to write.

In theatre and film, a script may be called a screenplay, teleplay, or stage play, with different conventions. A screenplay typically emphasizes visual storytelling and includes scene headings; a stage script concentrates on dialogue and stage directions; a radio script relies more on audio cues.

In computing, scripts are usually written in scripting languages such as JavaScript, Python, Bash, or PowerShell. They are often interpreted rather than compiled and are used to automate tasks, orchestrate software, or glue together components. Scripting languages tend to be higher level and dynamic, with features for rapid development and interaction with host programs.

Other uses: script may refer to handwriting styles, such as cursive script, or to the written characters of a particular writing system.