ENV_PARALLEL(1)
🌸 ENV_PARALLEL 🌸
okay bestie, so this is env_parallel from the parallel manual, section 1. buckle up, she's long but she's iconic 💅
✨ NAME ✨
env_parallel — export environment to GNU parallel
✨ SYNOPSIS ✨
env_parallel [--record-env|--session|--end-session] [options for GNU Parallel]✨ DESCRIPTION ✨
so env_parallel is a shell function that exports your current environment over to GNU parallel. it's giving courier vibes, it's giving "your variables get to come along."
ngl if the shell function isn't loaded, a dummy script runs instead and it's just gonna explain to you how to install the function. no cap.
real talk tho: env_parallel is 100 ms slower at startup than pure GNU parallel, and it takes up to 30% longer to start a job (typically 15 ms). so like, a lil tax. 💀
because of the whole environment space situation (more on that down below 👇) you're recommended only to transfer the environment that you actually need. fr fr, don't be greedy.
to help you do that, you can mark names that should not be transferred. you do this with either --session or --record-env. periodt.
# Record the "clean" environment (this only needs to be run once)
env_parallel --record-env
# Optionally edit ~/.parallel/ignored_vars (only needed once)
# Define whatever you want to use
myfunc() { myalias and functions $myvar work. $1.; }
alias myalias='echo Aliases'
myvar='and variables'
# Use --env _ to only transfer the names not in the "empty" environment
env_parallel --env _ -S localhost myfunc ::: Hoorayorrrrr you could do this whole other vibe:
# Do --record-env into $PARALLEL_IGNORED_NAMES
env_parallel --session
# Define whatever you want to use
myfunc() { myalias and functions $myvar work. $1.; }
alias myalias='echo Aliases'
myvar='and variables'
# env_parallel will not export names in $PARALLEL_IGNORED_NAMES
env_parallel -S localhost myfunc ::: Hooray
# Optionally
env_parallel --end-sessionand heads up, in csh the --session thing is not supported:
# Record the "clean" environment - this only needs to be run once
env_parallel --record-env
# Optionally edit ~/.parallel/ignored_vars - only needed once
# Define whatever you want to use
alias myalias 'echo Aliases $myvar \!*.'
set myvar='and variables'
# Use --env _ to only transfer the names not in the "empty" environment
env_parallel --env _ -S localhost myalias ::: workEnvironment space
by default env_parallel will export all environment variables, arrays, aliases, functions and shell options — and yeah, the deets are laid out for each individual shell below, don't worry.
but 🚨 this only works if the size of the current environment is smaller than the maximal length of a command, and smaller than half of the max if you're running remotely. like, e.g. the max size of Bash's command is 128 KB, so env_parallel will fail if set | wc -c is bigger than 128 KB. technically the limit lives in execve(1) which IPC::open3 uses. the way that execve(1) is out here gatekeeping 😭
also Bash completion functions are well-known for eating up way over 128 KB of environment space, and they're literally the primary reason env_parallel fails. 💀
instead you can use --env to say exactly which variables, arrays, aliases and functions to export — that only exports the ones with the given name. or just follow the recommended usage shown up in DESCRIPTION, bestie. 🫶
✨ OPTIONS ✨
same as GNU parallel, PLUS these lil extras:
--end-session— undo the last--session. yep, that's it, that's the whole job. 💅--record-env— record all names currently defined so they get ignored every single time you runenv_parallelin the future. ✨--session— ignore all names currently defined. aliases, variables, arrays, and functions that are defined right now will not be transferred.
but! names defined after you run parallel --session will be transferred. slay.
this is only valid in the running shell, and you can undo it with parallel --end-session.
and you can run multiple --session inside each other, like nesting dolls 🎀:
env_parallel --session
var=not
# var is transferred
env_parallel -Slocalhost 'echo var is $var' ::: ignored
env_parallel --session
# var is not transferred
env_parallel -Slocalhost 'echo var is $var' ::: ignored
env_parallel --end-session
# var is transferred again
env_parallel -Slocalhost 'echo var is $var' ::: ignored✨ SUPPORTED SHELLS ✨
🦋 Ash
Installation
put this in $HOME/.profile:
. env_parallel.ashe.g. by doing:
echo '. env_parallel.ash' >> $HOME/.profileSupported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, or alias with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given.
--session is supported.
aliases
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel multiline ::: work
env_parallel -S server multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server multiline ::: workfunctions
ash cannot list defined functions - thus is not supported.variables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
arrays are not supported by Ash.
🦋 Bash
Installation
put this in $HOME/.bashrc:
. env_parallel.bashe.g. by doing:
echo '. env_parallel.bash' >> $HOME/.bashrcSupported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given.
--session is supported.
aliases
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel 'multiline {};
echo but only when followed by a newline' ::: work
env_parallel -S server 'multiline {};
echo but only when followed by a newline' ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline 'multiline {};
echo but only when followed by a newline' ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server 'multiline {};
echo but only when followed by a newline' ::: workfunctions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; }
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k -S server echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2BUGS
ok so due to a bug in Bash, aliases containing newlines must be followed by a newline in the command. some systems are not affected by this bug, but they'll print a warning anyway. annoying? yes. is it real? yes. 💀
🦋 csh
🚨 env_parallel for csh breaks $PARALLEL, so do not use $PARALLEL. like, don't. i'm serious.
Installation
put this in $HOME/.cshrc:
source `which env_parallel.csh`e.g. by doing:
echo 'source `which env_parallel.csh`' >> $HOME/.cshrcSupported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, alias, or array with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given.
aliases
alias myecho 'echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: workfunctions
not supported by csh. 🙈
variables
set myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays with no special chars
set myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k -S server echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3🦋 Dash
Installation
put this in $HOME/.profile:
. env_parallel.dashe.g. by doing:
echo '. env_parallel.dash' >> $HOME/.profileSupported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, or alias with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given.
--session is supported.
aliases
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel multiline ::: work
env_parallel -S server multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server multiline ::: workfunctions
dash cannot list defined functions - thus is not supported.variables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
dash does not support arrays. 💀
🦋 fish
Installation
put this in $HOME/.config/fish/config.fish:
source (which env_parallel.fish)e.g. by doing:
echo 'source (which env_parallel.fish)' \
>> $HOME/.config/fish/config.fishSupported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given.
--session is supported.
aliases
csh girlies, your aliases absolutely make the cut:
alias myecho 'echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: workfunctions
csh functions are built different — it's function … end and $argv, not $* — but env_parallel carries them over anyway:
function myfunc
echo functions $argv
end
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
Set it, ship it:
set myvar variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
Real talk: Arrays normally work, but fail intermitently. — that is a direct quote, typo and all, we do not correct the source in this house 🫡
set myarray arrays work, too
env_parallel -k echo '$myarray[{}]' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k -S server echo '$myarray[{}]' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo '$myarray[{}]' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo '$myarray[{}]' ::: 1 2 3🐚 ksh
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.kshrc:
source env_parallel.kshE.g. by doing:
echo 'source env_parallel.ksh' >> $HOME/.kshrc✨ Supported use
--envis supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple--envs can be given — yes,--envs, plural, stack 'em 💅--sessionis supported.
aliases
Regular aliases are fine, and so are multiline ones (which is honestly kind of iconic):
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel multiline ::: work
env_parallel -S server multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server multiline ::: workfunctions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; }
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k -S server echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2🐚 mksh
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.mkshrc:
source env_parallel.mkshE.g. by doing:
echo 'source env_parallel.mksh' >> $HOME/.mkshrc✨ Supported use
--envis supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple--envs can be given — again,--envs, plural, go off 👑--sessionis supported.
aliases
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel multiline ::: work
env_parallel -S server multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server multiline ::: workfunctions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; }
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k -S server echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 0 1 2🐚 pdksh
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.profile:
source env_parallel.pdkshE.g. by doing:
echo 'source env_parallel.pdksh' >> $HOME/.profile✨ Supported use
--envis supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple--envs can be given —--envs, plural, no cap 🧚--sessionis supported.
aliases
pdksh is a semicolon queen, so mind the ;:
alias myecho="echo aliases";
env_parallel myecho ::: work;
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work;
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work;
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: workfunctions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; };
env_parallel myfunc ::: work;
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work;
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work;
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables;
env_parallel echo "\$myvar" ::: work;
env_parallel -S server echo "\$myvar" ::: work;
env_parallel --env myvar echo "\$myvar" ::: work;
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo "\$myvar" ::: workarrays
myarray=(arrays work, too);
env_parallel -k echo "\${myarray[{}]}" ::: 0 1 2;
env_parallel -k -S server echo "\${myarray[{}]}" ::: 0 1 2;
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo "\${myarray[{}]}" ::: 0 1 2;
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo "\${myarray[{}]}" ::: 0 1 2🐚 sh
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.profile:
. env_parallel.shE.g. by doing:
echo '. env_parallel.sh' >> $HOME/.profile✨ Supported use
--envis supported to export only the variable, or alias with the given name. Multiple--envs can be given —--envs, plural, yes bestie 🌸--sessionis supported.
aliases
sh does not support aliases.
functions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; }
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
sh does not support arrays.
🐚 tcsh
⚠️ Heads up, bestie: env_parallel for tcsh breaks$PARALLEL, so do not use$PARALLEL.
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.tcshrc:
source `which env_parallel.tcsh`E.g. by doing:
echo 'source `which env_parallel.tcsh`' >> $HOME/.tcshrc✨ Supported use
--env is supported to export only the variable, alias, or array with the given name. Multiple --envs can be given — --envs, plural, you already know 💜
aliases
alias myecho 'echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: workfunctions
Not supported by tcsh.
variables
set myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays with no special chars
set myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k -S server echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo \$'{myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3🐚 Zsh
✨ Installation
Put this in $HOME/.zshrc:
. env_parallel.zshE.g. by doing:
echo '. env_parallel.zsh' >> $HOME/.zshenv✨ Supported use
--envis supported to export only the variable, alias, function, or array with the given name. Multiple--envs can be given —--envs, plural, we love a repeatable flag 🎀--sessionis supported.
aliases
alias myecho='echo aliases'
env_parallel myecho ::: work
env_parallel -S server myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho myecho ::: work
env_parallel --env myecho -S server myecho ::: work
alias multiline='echo multiline
echo aliases'
env_parallel multiline ::: work
env_parallel -S server multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline multiline ::: work
env_parallel --env multiline -S server multiline ::: workfunctions
myfunc() { echo functions $*; }
env_parallel myfunc ::: work
env_parallel -S server myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc myfunc ::: work
env_parallel --env myfunc -S server myfunc ::: workvariables
myvar=variables
env_parallel echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel -S server echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar echo '$myvar' ::: work
env_parallel --env myvar -S server echo '$myvar' ::: workarrays
(and yes, zsh indexes from 1, not 0 — she's different like that ✨)
myarray=(arrays work, too)
env_parallel -k echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k -S server echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3
env_parallel -k --env myarray -S server \
echo '${myarray[{}]}' ::: 1 2 3💀 EXIT STATUS
Same as GNU parallel.
💖 AUTHOR 💖
okay so if you're out here using GNU env_parallel for a publication (academic baddie era ✨), bestie you gotta cite it, fr fr:
O. Tange (2018): GNU Parallel 2018, March 2018, ISBN 9781387509881, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1146014.
The way that this is literally just helping fund further development, and it won't cost you a cent 🫶. And like — if you pay 10000 EUR, you should feel free to use GNU Parallel without citing. Casual. 💸
Copyright history, keeping it exact, no cap:
- Copyright (C) 2007-10-18 Ole Tange, http://ole.tange.dk
- Copyright (C) 2008-2010 Ole Tange, http://ole.tange.dk
- Copyright (C) 2010-2026 Ole Tange, http://ole.tange.dk and Free Software Foundation, Inc.
📜 LICENSE 📜
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or at your option any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
🎀 Documentation license I 🎀
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this documentation under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the file LICENSES/GFDL-1.3-or-later.txt.
🌸 Documentation license II 🌸
You are free:
- to Share to copy, distribute and transmit the work
- to Remix to adapt the work
Under the following conditions:
- Attribution You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
- Share Alike If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same, similar or a compatible license.
With the understanding that:
- Waiver — Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.
- Public Domain — Where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
- Other Rights — In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license:
- Your fair dealing or fair use rights, or other applicable copyright exceptions and limitations;
- The author's moral rights;
- Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used, such as publicity or privacy rights.
- Notice — For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work.
A copy of the full license is included in the file as LICENCES/CC-BY-SA-4.0.txt
🧩 DEPENDENCIES 🧩
env_parallel uses GNU parallel. that's it, that's the dependency 💅
👀 SEE ALSO 👀
parallel(1), ash(1), bash(1), csh(1), dash(1), fish(1), ksh(1), pdksh(1) tcsh(1), zsh(1).
go read those bestie, iykyk 📚
and that's a wrap on the whole page, periodt 👑 this was ENV_PARALLEL(1) from the 20260922 version, dated 2026-10-18 — stay parallel, stay slay, and may your shells never hang 🦋✨💜
📦 where this page comes from
- fedora 43: parallel 20260922-2.fc43 · GPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- fedora 44: parallel 20260922-2.fc44 · GPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- 💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms