在Django中执行外部脚本的推荐做法是什么？

Question

I'm planning to build a WebApp that will need to execute scripts based on the argument that an user will provide in a text-field or in the Url.

possible solutions that I have found:

1. create a lib directory in the root directory of the project, and put the scripts there, and import it from views.

2. using subprocess module to directly run the scripts in the following way:

    subprocess.call(['python', 'somescript.py', argument_1,...]) 

argument_1: should be what an end user provides.

Answer 1

I'm planning to build a WebApp that will need to execute scripts

Why should it "execute scripts" ? Turn your "scripts" into proper modules , import the relevant functions and call them. The fact that Python can be used as a "scripting language" doesn't mean it's not a proper programming language.

Answer 2

Approach (1) should be the default approach. Never subprocess unless you absolutely have to.

Disadvantages of subprocessing:

1. Depends on the underlying OS and in your case Python (ie is python command the same as the Python that runs the original script?).
2. Potentially harder to make safe.
3. Harder to pass values, return results and report errors.
4. Eats more memory and cpu (a side effect is that you can utilize all cpu cores but since you are writing a web app it is likely you do that anyway).
5. Generally harder to code and maintain.

Advantages of subprocessing:

1. Isolates the runtime. This is useful if for example scripts are uploaded by users. You don't want them to mess with your application.
2. Related to 1: potentially easier to dynamically add scripts. Not that you should do that anyway. Also becomes harder when you have more then 1 server and you need to synchronize them.
3. Well, you can run non-python code that way. But it doesn't apply to your case.