This is far from "proper" but one way to exit early is to create a runtime error. So instead of returning early from a script cleanly with exit(0) one can return uncleanly with something like
print(variable_to_query)
() + 1
which will run the code up until this point (completing the print statement) and then fail.
I'm reposting my answer from here because the solution should apply to your question as well. It will...
not kill the kernel on exit
not display a full traceback (no traceback for use in IPython shell)
not force you to entrench code with try/excepts
work with or without IPython, without changes in code
Just import 'exit' from the code beneath into your jupyter notebook (IPython notebook) and calling 'exit()' should work. It will exit and letting you know that...
An exception has occurred, use %tb to see the full traceback.
IpyExit
"""
# ipython_exit.py
Allows exit() to work if script is invoked with IPython without
raising NameError Exception. Keeps kernel alive.
Use: import variable 'exit' in target script with
'from ipython_exit import exit'
"""
import sys
from io import StringIO
from IPython import get_ipython
class IpyExit(SystemExit):
"""Exit Exception for IPython.
Exception temporarily redirects stderr to buffer.
"""
def __init__(self):
# print("exiting") # optionally print some message to stdout, too
# ... or do other stuff before exit
sys.stderr = StringIO()
def __del__(self):
sys.stderr.close()
sys.stderr = sys.__stderr__ # restore from backup
def ipy_exit():
raise IpyExit
if get_ipython(): # ...run with IPython
exit = ipy_exit # rebind to custom exit
else:
exit = exit # just make exit importable