How To Clear Python Shell Editor

In this tutorial, we will learn how to clear the Python Shell Editor. This is an important feature when you are working on multiple projects or you want to keep your workspace clean and organized. The Python Shell Editor is an interactive interpreter built into many IDEs such as Python’s IDLE and Thonny.

Step 1: Opening the Python Shell

First, let’s open the Python Shell in IDLE or Thonny. Once the shell is open, you can run Python expressions, declare variables, and call functions.

When you’ve executed several commands, the Python Shell can become cluttered with output, making it harder to focus on your current work. At this point, you may want to clear the shell.

Step 2: Clearing the Python Shell using “os”

An efficient way to clear the shell is by using the os module which provides interaction with the operating system. Follow these steps to clear the shell:

  1. Import the os module by typing the following command:
1
import os
  1. Clear the shell using the following command in Python Shell:
1
os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')

Here, the os.system() function runs the command we pass as an argument. The command we use to clear the console depends on the operating system. For Windows, it’s cls, while it’s clear for UNIX-based systems (e.g., Linux and macOS). Since Python’s os module provides a variable os.name representing the current operating system, we use a conditional expression to choose the appropriate command.

The previous method may not work on some IDEs because they do not support command-line arguments, such as cls or clear.

Alt Step 2: Clearing the Python Shell using print()

An alternative method to clear the Python Shell is by printing empty lines or spaces using the print() function, which works regardless of the operating system or IDE in use:

1
print('\n' * 100)

This method creates 100 newlines, effectively clearing the screen. You may need to adjust the value based on your screen size and preferences.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
import os
 
def clear_shell():
    os.system('cls' if os.name == 'nt' else 'clear')
 
# Alternative method
def clear_shell_alt():
    print('\n' * 100)

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we’ve learned how to clear the Python Shell Editor using the os module and the alternative print() method. Both methods can be useful depending on your preferences and the IDE you are using. By clearing the Python Shell, you’re able to maintain a cleaner and more organized workspace while working on your projects.