What is the purpose of the "&" sign when you run a .py file via command shell?

Question

I read a tutorial about how to set up a chat program using client-server model here, http://code.activestate.com/recipes/531824-chat-server-client-using-selectselect/

they have a .py file called "chatserver.py" and ran it in linux-like command shell with extra option:

$ python chatserver.py &

what is the purpose of the "&" sign there?

(apology, first time asker)

Googling for "linux command line & at the end" immediately yields: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13338870/what-does-at-the-end-of-a-linux-command-mean — Bakuriu, Jul 11 '15 at 12:45
apology, I thought it is python-only option. Should have googled about linux commands first — Brian Lie, Jul 11 '15 at 12:47

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 11 '15 at 12:48

0

The command is run in background.

The terminal returns the focus to the user and you can run another command. It is the same for any command, not only python. See this.

answered Jul 11 '15 at 12:48

clemtoy

The question has already been marked as a duplicate and adding an answer which most of the content is in an external link is also not a great deal of use – Padraic Cunningham Jul 11 '15 at 12:49
@PadraicCunningham The question has been marked as a duplicate while I was writting the answer, sorry. – clemtoy Jul 11 '15 at 12:52
If there is something in the link not in the dupe add it to your answer, a link can die any time – Padraic Cunningham Jul 11 '15 at 13:07

1 Answers1