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What is the purpose of using #!/usr/bin/env <sh|bash|python> shebang compared to #!/bin/bash, #!/bin/sh or #!/usr/bin/python?

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There is a good answer here in regards to the general use of env. – maggotbrain Jan 24 at 9:37

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Some people might use a different python (perl, etc.) than the system one. /usr/bin/env python would run the version configured as the current one, possibly making the script more portable.

On the other hand, reportedly, some systems do not have /usr/bin/env. Also, you cannot use #!/usr/bin/env foo x as a replacement for #!foo x, because foo x will be interpreted as a single argument. So the value of the approach is debatable.

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Configured where? From info coreutils 'env invocation' I can see this form of calling makes sure it is external binary instead of shell built-in, but no indication how env python would be any different from python? – Tuminoid Jan 24 at 9:15
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Your PATH probably includes /usr/local/bin first. If somebody has manually installed python there, then env will call it, whereas #!/usr/bin/python will bypass it. – Robie Basak Jan 24 at 9:44
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virtualenv is a quite popular tool, and it installs a python executable in the working directory. You would need the env trick to get it to work correctly. – Flimm Jan 29 at 21:38
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@Tuminoid: you are right: env python is the same as python. However the problem is that you can't write a shebang like #!python: you need to specify a full path. – Andrea Corbellini Jan 29 at 22:36

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