# sh/$'s contents are quasiquoted, allowing direct or string arguments # so you need to unquote , variables: (def out (file/open "trust-db.txt" :w)) (sh/$ "gpg" "--export-ownertrust" > ,out) # > requires an opened file object (file/close out) # note how > requires an opened file object (with [out (file/open "trust-db.txt" :w)] (sh/$ gpg --export-ownertrust > ,out))