What Does 'Batch File' Mean?

Willie Dillon author Willie Dillon
What is a Batch File?
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A batch file is a text file that contains a series of commands that are executed by the command-line interpreter on the operating system. Batch files are useful for automating repetitive tasks, performing multiple tasks in a specific order, and performing tasks that require multiple commands to be executed.

Batch files are saved with the “.bat” file extension and can be created and edited using any text editor. To run a batch file, the user simply needs to double-click on the file or type the name of the file at the command prompt.

The commands in a batch file are executed in the order that they appear in the file. Each command is executed one after the other, and the command prompt does not return control to the user until all of the commands in the batch file have been executed.

Batch files can contain any valid command that can be run from the command prompt, as well as special commands known as “batch commands” or “batch file commands” that are specific to batch files. Some common batch commands include:

  • ECHO: Displays a message on the screen.
  • GOTO: Jumps to a specific line in the batch file.
  • IF: Performs a conditional action based on the result of a test.
  • PAUSE: Suspends processing of the batch file and displays a message on the screen.

Batch files can also include variables, which are values that can be assigned to a name and used within the batch file. For example, a variable could be created to store the name of a file, and that variable could be used in a command to delete the file.

Batch files can be very simple, containing only a few commands, or they can be quite complex, with dozens or even hundreds of commands. They are often used to automate tasks that are performed on a regular basis, such as backing up files, cleaning up temporary folders, or running system maintenance tasks.

In conclusion, a batch file is a text file that has commands that can be executed by the command-line interpreter. Batch files can be used to automate repetitive tasks, perform multiple tasks in a specific order, and execute tasks that require multiple commands. They are a useful tool for simplifying and streamlining tasks on the command prompt.

BAT file extension vs. CMD file extension

Batch files can have either the BAT or CMD file extension. Both file extensions are used to denote a batch file and can be used interchangeably.

The BAT file extension is the traditional file extension for batch files and has been used since the early days of DOS. The CMD file extension was introduced in later versions of Windows and is functionally equivalent to the BAT file extension.

Regardless of which file extension is used, the contents of the batch file and the commands it contains are the same. Both BAT and CMD files are text files that contain a series of commands that the command-line interpreter executes in the order that they appear.

Example

Here is a simple example of a batch file that demonstrates some of the basic features of batch code:

@echo off
echo This is a batch file.
echo It will display this message on the screen.
pause
echo Now we will delete a file called test.txt
del test.txt
echo The file has been deleted.
pause
echo This is the end of the batch file.

This batch file contains several commands that are executed in the order that they appear. The first line, @echo off, is a special batch command that tells the command-line interpreter not to display the commands themselves as they are executed.

The next two lines, echo This is a batch file. and echo It will display this message on the screen., use the ECHO command to display a message on the screen.

The PAUSE command is used to suspend processing of the batch file and display a message on the screen asking the user to press any key to continue. This can be useful for allowing the user to see the output of the batch file before continuing.

The DEL command is used to delete a file. In this case, the file test.txt is deleted.

Finally, the batch file displays a message indicating that it has reached the end and then terminates.

This is a very simple example of a batch file, but it demonstrates some of the basic concepts of batch code. Batch files can be much more complex and can contain dozens or even hundreds of commands, depending on the tasks being automated.

More information

Batch files are run by the command-line interpreter on the operating system. In DOS and early versions of Windows, the command-line interpreter was the COMMAND.COM program. However, in more recent versions of Windows, the command-line interpreter is the cmd.exe program.

Both COMMAND.COM and cmd.exe are capable of running batch files as well as other types of scripts and commands at the command prompt. When a batch file is run, the command-line interpreter reads the commands in the file and executes them in the order that they appear.