Everything is Python

Although you don’t need to know Python to use the pyATS ecosystem, it might help you to understand the structure of the Python-based commands described in this guide.

Tip

Remember, you can use the Library command line for network automation and never have to enter a Python command!

The following example explains the statements used to connect to a device and parse output from the show inventory command.

Structure of a pyATS statement
Number	Statement	Description
1	`from genie.testbed import load`	Get the `genie.testbed` library and its `load` function.
2	`tb = load('tb.yaml')`	Load the `tb.yaml` testbed and store it in the `tb` variable.
3	`dev = tb.devices['nx-osv-1']`	Find the `nx-osv-1` device and store it in the variable `dev`. In this example, `nx-osv-1` is the hostname of the device as defined in the testbed `tb.yaml` file. You could also define a device alias, such as `'uut'`, in the Testbed YAML file, and use that instead of the hostname.
4	`dev.connect()`	Connect to the device you defined as `dev`.
5	`p1 = dev.parse('show inventory')`	Parse the `show inventory` output for `dev`, and store the output in the variable `p1`.
6	`print('Slot 1 serial number:' + p1['name']['Slot 1']['serial_number'])`	Print a meaningful message and the serial number for Slot 1.

Tip

If you want to know more about how to use Python, you can find many good online tutorials.