subprocessrun

Subprocessrun is a programming construct used to launch an external process from within a host program and collect its results. It provides a controlled way to run commands, scripts, or executables, often with options to manage the environment, working directory, input and output streams, and timeouts. While not a formal standard, the term describes a common pattern implemented in many languages and platforms.

Typical interfaces of subprocessrun accept a command and its arguments as a list or, in some cases, a single string. Options commonly include the working directory (cwd), environment variables (env), whether to run through a shell, and mechanisms to capture or redirect standard output and standard error. Additional features may include timeouts, input piping, and the ability to stream large outputs. The design goal is to provide precise control over how the external process is started and interacts with the parent process.

The return value usually conveys the outcome of the run, including an exit code and any captured output. In many implementations, a successful invocation yields an object or structure with fields such as returncode, stdout, and stderr. If the caller requests strict failure handling, non-zero exit codes can trigger exceptions. Examples typically demonstrate running a command, optionally capturing output, and checking for errors.

Security and portability are important considerations. Avoid executing untrusted input with shell mode enabled, as that can invite injection vulnerabilities. Prefer argument lists over shell invocations when possible, and sanitize inputs. Subprocessrun is a foundational pattern across languages, with concrete variants such as Python’s subprocess.run, Java’s ProcessBuilder, and Go’s os/exec. See also related process-management facilities in specific ecosystems.