Python sys platform()

The sys.platform attribute in Python's sys module provides a string that identifies the platform on which the Python interpreter is running. This attribute is useful for writing cross-platform code that can behave differently depending on the underlying operating system.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. sys.platform Attribute Syntax
3. Examples
   • Basic Usage
   • Checking for Specific Platforms
   • Platform-Specific Code
4. Real-World Use Case
5. Conclusion

Introduction

The sys.platform attribute in Python's sys module contains a string that identifies the platform (operating system) on which the Python interpreter is currently running. This is particularly useful for writing cross-platform code that needs to adapt its behavior based on the operating system.

sys.platform Attribute Syntax

Here is how you access the sys.platform attribute:

import sys

platform_info = sys.platform

Parameters:

• None. This attribute is a string that provides information about the platform.

Returns:

• A string containing the platform identifier.

Examples

Basic Usage

Here is an example of how to access and print the platform information using sys.platform.

Example

import sys

# Accessing the platform information
platform_info = sys.platform
print("Platform info:")
print(platform_info)

Output:

Platform info:
linux

Checking for Specific Platforms

This example demonstrates how to check for specific platforms using sys.platform.

Example

import sys

# Checking the platform
if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
    print("Running on a Linux platform.")
elif sys.platform == 'win32':
    print("Running on a Windows platform.")
elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
    print("Running on macOS.")
else:
    print("Unknown platform.")

Output:

Running on a Linux platform.

Platform-Specific Code

This example demonstrates how to write platform-specific code using sys.platform.

Example

import sys
import os

# Platform-specific code
if sys.platform.startswith('linux') or sys.platform == 'darwin':
    # Unix/Linux/macOS specific code
    os.system('ls')
elif sys.platform == 'win32':
    # Windows specific code
    os.system('dir')
else:
    print("Unsupported platform.")

Output on Linux/macOS:

(list of files and directories)

Output on Windows:

(list of files and directories)

Real-World Use Case

Cross-Platform Script

In real-world applications, the sys.platform attribute can be used to write cross-platform scripts that perform different actions based on the operating system.

Example

import sys

def platform_specific_action():
    if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
        print("Performing Linux-specific action.")
    elif sys.platform == 'win32':
        print("Performing Windows-specific action.")
    elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
        print("Performing macOS-specific action.")
    else:
        print("Performing generic action.")

# Example usage
platform_specific_action()

Output:

Performing Linux-specific action.

Conclusion

The sys.platform attribute in Python's sys module provides a string that identifies the platform on which the Python interpreter is running. This attribute is useful for writing cross-platform code that adapts its behavior based on the underlying operating system. Proper usage of this attribute can enhance the portability and flexibility of your Python scripts by allowing them to behave differently on different platforms.