Batch File

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What Does Batch File Mean?

A batch files is a text file that contains a sequence of commands for a computer operating system. Batch files encapsulate multiple commands into a single file, and are created for command sequences that users employ repeatedly. Commonly used batch files are part of most operating systems. The sequence of commands in the batch file is initiated by entering the name of the batch file on the command line.

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Techopedia Explains Batch File

Batch files are text files with a series of commands that are executed by the command interpreter. They allow users to set up a batch script to automate many commands. When batch files run, a shell program reads the file and executes its commands line by line. Batch files run a sequence of executables automatically.

In a disk operating system, a batch file has .BAT extension, while in a UNIX-based operating system, batch files are called shell scripts. In the IBM mainframe virtual machine operating system, batch files have a .EXEC extension.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.