---
title: utility
sidebarTitle: utility
---

# `prefect.deployments.steps.utility`



Utility project steps that are useful for managing a project's deployment lifecycle.

Steps within this module can be used within a `build`, `push`, or `pull` deployment action.

Example:
    Use the `run_shell_script` setp to retrieve the short Git commit hash of the current
        repository and use it as a Docker image tag:
    ```yaml
    build:
        - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
            id: get-commit-hash
            script: git rev-parse --short HEAD
            stream_output: false
        - prefect_docker.deployments.steps.build_docker_image:
            requires: prefect-docker
            image_name: my-image
            image_tag: "{{ get-commit-hash.stdout }}"
            dockerfile: auto
    ```


## Functions

### `run_shell_script` <sup><a href="https://github.com/PrefectHQ/prefect/blob/main/src/prefect/deployments/steps/utility.py#L76" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
run_shell_script(script: str, directory: Optional[str] = None, env: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None, stream_output: bool = True, expand_env_vars: bool = False) -> RunShellScriptResult
```


Runs one or more shell commands in a subprocess. Returns the standard
output and standard error of the script.

**Args:**
- `script`: The script to run
- `directory`: The directory to run the script in. Defaults to the current
working directory.
- `env`: A dictionary of environment variables to set for the script
- `stream_output`: Whether to stream the output of the script to
stdout/stderr
- `expand_env_vars`: Whether to expand environment variables in the script
before running it

**Returns:**
- A dictionary with the keys `stdout` and `stderr` containing the output
of the script

**Examples:**

Retrieve the short Git commit hash of the current repository to use as
    a Docker image tag:
```yaml
build:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        id: get-commit-hash
        script: git rev-parse --short HEAD
        stream_output: false
    - prefect_docker.deployments.steps.build_docker_image:
        requires: prefect-docker
        image_name: my-image
        image_tag: "{{ get-commit-hash.stdout }}"
        dockerfile: auto
```

Run a multi-line shell script:
```yaml
build:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        script: |
            echo "Hello"
            echo "World"
```

Run a shell script with environment variables:
```yaml
build:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        script: echo "Hello $NAME"
        env:
            NAME: World
```

Run a shell script with environment variables expanded
    from the current environment:
```yaml
pull:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        script: |
            echo "User: $USER"
            echo "Home Directory: $HOME"
        stream_output: true
        expand_env_vars: true
```

Run a shell script in a specific directory:
```yaml
build:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        script: echo "Hello"
        directory: /path/to/directory
```

Run a script stored in a file:
```yaml
build:
    - prefect.deployments.steps.run_shell_script:
        script: "bash path/to/script.sh"
```


### `pip_install_requirements` <sup><a href="https://github.com/PrefectHQ/prefect/blob/main/src/prefect/deployments/steps/utility.py#L204" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>

```python
pip_install_requirements(directory: Optional[str] = None, requirements_file: str = 'requirements.txt', stream_output: bool = True) -> dict[str, Any]
```


Installs dependencies from a requirements.txt file.

**Args:**
- `requirements_file`: The requirements.txt to use for installation.
- `directory`: The directory the requirements.txt file is in. Defaults to
the current working directory.
- `stream_output`: Whether to stream the output from pip install should be
streamed to the console

**Returns:**
- A dictionary with the keys `stdout` and `stderr` containing the output
the `pip install` command

**Raises:**
- `subprocess.CalledProcessError`: if the pip install command fails for any reason


## Classes

### `RunShellScriptResult` <sup><a href="https://github.com/PrefectHQ/prefect/blob/main/src/prefect/deployments/steps/utility.py#L63" target="_blank"><Icon icon="github" style="width: 14px; height: 14px;" /></a></sup>


The result of a `run_shell_script` step.

