# erl > Run and manage programs in the Erlang programming language. > More information: . - Compile and run sequential Erlang program as a common script and then exit: `erlc {{files}} && erl -noshell '{{mymodule:myfunction(arguments)}}, init:stop().'` - Connect to a running Erlang node: `erl -remsh {{nodename}}@{{hostname}} -sname {{custom_shortname}} -hidden -setcookie {{cookie_of_remote_node}}` - Tell the Erlang shell to load modules from a directory: `erl -pa {{directory_with_beam_files}}`