Python shutil

last modified February 15, 2025

In this article, we show how to use the shutil module in Python. The shutil module provides high-level file operations, such as copying, moving, and deleting files and directories. It is particularly useful for automating file management tasks.

The shutil module is part of Python's standard library, so no additional installation is required.

Copying Files

The following example demonstrates how to copy a file using the shutil.copy function.

import shutil

# Copy a file
shutil.copy('source.txt', 'destination.txt')
print("File copied successfully.")

In this program, the shutil.copy function is used to copy the contents of source.txt to destination.txt. If destination.txt does not exist, it will be created.

$ python main.py
File copied successfully.

Copying Directories

The following example demonstrates how to copy a directory using the shutil.copytree function.

import shutil

# Copy a directory
shutil.copytree('source_dir', 'destination_dir')
print("Directory copied successfully.")

In this program, the shutil.copytree function is used to copy the entire contents of source_dir to destination_dir. If destination_dir does not exist, it will be created.

$ python main.py
Directory copied successfully.

Moving Files and Directories

The following example demonstrates how to move a file or directory using the shutil.move function.

import shutil

# Move a file
shutil.move('source.txt', 'destination.txt')
print("File moved successfully.")

# Move a directory
shutil.move('source_dir', 'destination_dir')
print("Directory moved successfully.")

In this program, the shutil.move function is used to move source.txt to destination.txt and source_dir to destination_dir.

$ python main.py
File moved successfully.
Directory moved successfully.

Deleting Directories

The following example demonstrates how to delete a directory using the shutil.rmtree function.

import shutil

# Delete a directory
shutil.rmtree('directory_to_delete')
print("Directory deleted successfully.")

In this program, the shutil.rmtree function is used to delete directory_to_delete and all its contents.

$ python main.py
Directory deleted successfully.

Archiving Files and Directories

The following example demonstrates how to create an archive (e.g., ZIP file) using the shutil.make_archive function.

import shutil

# Create a ZIP archive
shutil.make_archive('archive', 'zip', 'source_dir')
print("Archive created successfully.")

In this program, the shutil.make_archive function is used to create a ZIP archive of source_dir.

$ python main.py
Archive created successfully.

Source

Python shutil - Documentation

In this article, we have shown how to use the shutil module in Python for high-level file operations. The shutil module is a powerful tool for automating file management tasks.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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