Clearing the Python shell can be useful when you want to remove clutter from previous commands and outputs. Below are several methods to clear the Python shell depending on the environment you are using.
1. Clearing the Shell in the Command Prompt or Terminal
If you are running Python in a command prompt or terminal, you can clear the screen using the following commands:
Windows
import os
os.system('cls')
macOS/Linux
import os
os.system('clear')
These commands use the os module to execute the appropriate shell command for your operating system, clearing the terminal screen.
2. Clearing the Shell in IDLE
In Python’s Integrated Development and Learning Environment (IDLE), there is no direct command to clear the screen. However, you can simulate clearing the screen by printing several newlines.
Example:
print("\n" * 100)
This will push the previous content out of view by printing 100 new lines.
3. Clearing the Shell in Jupyter Notebook
If you are using Jupyter Notebook, you can clear the output of a cell by clicking on the output area and selecting “Clear Outputs” from the toolbar, or you can use a command within the notebook:
Example:
from IPython.display import clear_output
clear_output(wait=True)
This command will clear the output of the current cell in the Jupyter Notebook.
4. Clearing the Shell in PyCharm
In PyCharm, you can clear the Run console by right-clicking on the console area and selecting “Clear All.” There is no direct Python command to clear the PyCharm console, so this must be done manually.
