ENVML(1) Modules ENVML(1)

envml - run a command in an environment setting up by Modules

envml [MODULE_ACTION]... [--] COMMAND [ARG]...

The envml command configures the environment using specified Environment Modules actions and then given command.

This is useful for running a command in a modified environment without permanently altering the current shell session.

envml interprets its first arguments as module actions, then switches to command execution after either encountering -- or determining that the remaining arguments form the actual command to run.

Each module action argument can be one of the following forms:

  • purge Unload all currently loaded modulefiles.
  • restore[=coll] Restore the module environment from the named collection coll. If no name is given, restores the default collection.
  • unload=mod1[&mod2...] Unload one or more specified modulefiles.
  • switch=mod1&mod2 Unload mod1 and load mod2.
  • [load=]mod1[&mod2...] Load one or more specified modulefiles. load= can be omitted.

Multiple MODULE_ACTIONs can be passed in a single argument using the colon (:) separator. The ampersand (&) is used to specify multiple modules in a single action.

Everything following the -- separator is treated as the command to execute in the modified environment.

If no -- separator is provided, envml assumes the first argument is a MODULE_ACTION and the remaining arguments form the command to execute.

Display usage information and exit.

Restore default module collection then run command arg1 arg2:

envml restore command arg1 arg2

Purge all modules, then load mod1 and mod2, and run the command:

envml purge:mod1:mod2 command arg1 arg2

Use the -- separator to avoid ambiguity:

envml restore load=mod1&mod2 -- command arg1 arg2

The envml command returns the exit status of the executed command or 1 if module action fails.

If the module command is not available in the shell (i.e., not a shell function), envml will print an error and exit.

module <#module-1>, modulecmd <#modulecmd-1>, ml <#ml-1>, modulefile <#modulefile-5>

1996-2026, Modules Contributors

2026-09-21 5.7.0