[nfrmatk]

That might just come down to the usual differences between Python and Ruby. A Python programmer would likely appreciate an explicit call to `subprocess.run`.

Some equivalent Python 3.7+ would be

  import subprocess
  listing = subprocess.run(("ls", "-oh"), capture_output=True, encoding="utf-8")
  print(listing.stdout)
  print(listing.returncode)

As an experienced Ruby programmer I imagine the code you provided looks like a no-brainer. To a Ruby neophyte the backticks, $? sigil, and .to_i method don't strike me as intuitive (but maybe they would be do someone else). We may just have to disagree about the nicety of syntax.

As cle mentioned[1], the strongest criteria is

> what would the majority of people on the team prefer to use?

and I'd agree that ultimately that's what makes the most sense.

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24558989

[deeg]

The back-ticks and $? are shell standards so I would expect those to be familiar to shell scripters. I agree that if one knows nothing about any of the languages then neither is much better.