How to execute bash commands from C? [duplicate]

Question

Is there a way to run command line utilities, e.g. gzip, into a C app?

If you run it as a "bash command", a la system(), you're doing it wrong. Direct invocation with an exec-family syscall is more efficient and less prone to bugs. — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 4:30

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:47:15Z

42

#include <stdlib.h>
int status = system("gzip foo");

See the man page (man 3 system) for more detailed information on how to use it.

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answered Apr 20, 2015 at 23:39

jayhendren

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3 Comments

See: Why to avoid system() function in c/c++. Instead look at the execl family of functions.

man system # seems to default to 3

No entry for system in section 1 of the manual No entry for system in section 2 of the manual so starts at 3