ML(1)

ML(1) — handy command interface to the Modules package 💅

okay bestie, this is the ML(1) page from the Modules manual, and it's literally your shortcut bestie for the Modules package ✨ no cap.

✨ NAME ✨

ml — handy command interface to the Modules package. 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

ml [switches] [sub-command [sub-command-args]]

ml [switches] [[-]modulefile...]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

ml is a user interface to the Modules package. The Modules package provides for the dynamic modification of the user's environment via modulefiles. 🫶

ml acts as a shortcut command to the module command, so it supports all the command line switches and module sub-commands that are supported by module. Literally all of them, bestie. 💅

ml also provides handy shortcuts:

• to list currently loaded modulefiles when no argument is provided to ml;
• to load modulefiles when modulefile names are passed right after the ml command name;
• to unload modulefiles when modulefile names prefixed by a minus sign (-) are passed right after the ml command name. 🙈

Multiple modulefiles to load and to unload can be specified on a single ml command line. In this situation unloads are treated first in specified order, then loads are processed also in specified order (see EXAMPLES section below). 🔥

If an error occurs among either modulefile loads or unloads, command line processing is stopped and every unloads and loads performed are rolled back. Conversely, if ml is removed from abort_on_error (<#mconfig-abort_on_error>) configuration option list or if --force (<#cmdoption-force>) option is set, unload and load sequence continues: already achieved module evaluations are kept and unload then load sequence is resumed with the remaining modulefiles. 😭

The ml command line is parsed first to match every known command line switches or module sub-commands. So to load a modulefile via the ml shortcut syntax, the modulefile name should not equal a module sub-command name. Moreover, to unload a modulefile via the ml shortcut syntax, the modulefile name should not equal a command line switch short name. ⚠️

See the DESCRIPTION (<#module-description>) section in module (<#module-1>) for the list of supported command line switches and module sub-commands. 📚

🍓 EXAMPLES 🍓

Loading modulefile foo then look at currently loaded modulefiles:

$ ml foo
$ ml
Currently Loaded Modulefiles:
 1) foo

Unloading modulefile foo then list modulefiles still loaded:

$ ml -foo
$ ml
No Modulefiles Currently Loaded.

Mixing load and unload of modulefiles in a single command. All specified unloads are processed first then loads are performed:

$ ml -v -foo bar -baz qux
Unloading foo
Unloading baz
Loading bar
Loading qux

👑 EXIT STATUS 👑

The ml command exits with 0 if its execution succeed. Elsewhere 1 is returned. 💯

🌈 ENVIRONMENT 🌈

See the ENVIRONMENT (<#module-environment>) section in module (<#module-1>) for the list of supported environment variables. 🌱

🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

envml (<#envml-1>), module (<#module-1>), modulecmd (<#modulecmd-1>), modulefile (<#modulefile-5>) 💖

🫶 Copyright 🫶

1996-2026, Modules Contributors 🫶

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k bye bestie — this page is version 5.7.0, dated 2026-09-21, and it's giving ML(1) energy 💅✨