The shutil (short for shell utility) library in Python is a standard library that provides a set of high-level file operations for automating common tasks. It is part of the Python Standard Library and is included with Python installations. The shutil library offers a range of functions for working with files and directories, including copying, moving, archiving, and deleting files and directories. With shutil, you can easily automate repetitive file operations and perform complex file operations in just a few lines of code. In this tutorial, we’ll explore the various functions and uses of shutil, including how to copy, move, archive, and delete files and directories, and we’ll also look at some advanced functions for more complex file operations.

• Common Uses of Shutil in Python
• How Is Shutil Different From OS
• Copying Files and Directories with Shutil
• Archiving and Compression with Shutil
• Moving Files and Directories with Shutil
• Deleting Files and Directories with Shutil
• Advanced Shutil Functions
• Python shutil FAQ

Common Uses of Shutil in Python

1. Copying Files and Directories: The shutil library provides functions for copying files and directories, including the ability to copy individual files or entire directories. This makes it easy to duplicate files and directories or move them to a different location.
2. Archiving and Compression: Shutil includes functions for archiving and compressing files and directories. This makes it simple to create ZIP files or other archive formats, as well as extract files from archive formats.
3. Moving Files and Directories: Shutil also provides functions for moving files and directories. This can be useful when you need to reorganize your file system or change the location of files and directories.
4. Deleting Files and Directories: The shutil library includes functions for deleting files and directories. This makes it easy to remove files and directories that are no longer needed.
5. Automating Repetitive File Operations: With shutil, you can automate repetitive file operations, such as copying or archiving files and directories. This can be a huge time saver, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

How Is Shutil Different From OS

Shutil and os are two different libraries in Python for performing file operations, and each has its own strengths and use cases.

The os library is a lower-level library that provides a range of functions for interacting with the operating system. This includes functions for working with the file system, such as creating, renaming, and deleting files and directories, as well as functions for working with environment variables and other system information.

On the other hand, the shutil library is built on top of os and provides a higher-level set of file operations. Shutil functions are designed to automate common file operations, such as copying and archiving, and are often easier to use than the equivalent os functions. Shutil also includes additional functionality, such as the ability to preserve metadata when copying files and directories.

The os module is a powerful library for low-level system interaction, while shutil provides a higher-level set of file operations for automating common tasks. The choice between the two will depend on the specific requirements of your project and the level of control you need over the file system.

Copying Files and Directories with Shutil

Shutil provides several functions for copying files and directories in Python. The two most commonly used functions for this purpose are shutil.copy2() and shutil.copytree().

shutil.copy2() is used to copy a single file. This function takes two arguments: the source file and the destination file. The source file can be either a file name or a file object, and the destination file must be a file name. shutil.copy2() also preserves file metadata, such as timestamps and permissions, which is useful when copying files between different file systems.

import shutil

shutil.copy2('source_file.txt', 'destination_file.txt')

shutil.copytree() is used to copy an entire directory. This function takes two arguments: the source directory and the destination directory. The source directory can be either a directory name or a directory object, and the destination directory must be a directory name. shutil.copytree() will create the destination directory if it doesn’t already exist, and it will recursively copy all of the files and subdirectories in the source directory to the destination directory.

import shutil

shutil.copytree('source_directory', 'destination_directory')

It’s important to note that if the destination directory already exists, shutil.copytree() will raise an error. To avoid this, you can use the dst_dir_exists_ok argument to allow shutil.copytree() to overwrite the destination directory if it already exists.

import shutil

shutil.copytree('source_directory', 'destination_directory', dst_dir_exists_ok=True)

These are the basic steps for copying files and directories with shutil in Python. In the following sections, we’ll explore other features and functions in shutil for more complex file operations.

Archiving and Compression with Shutil

Shutil provides several functions for archiving and compressing files and directories in Python. The most commonly used functions for this purpose are shutil.make_archive() and shutil.unpack_archive().

shutil.make_archive() is used to create an archive from a directory. This function takes several arguments, including the name of the archive, the format of the archive (e.g. ZIP, TAR, etc.), and the source directory. shutil.make_archive() will create a new archive in the specified format, including all of the files and subdirectories in the source directory.

import shutil

shutil.make_archive('archive_name', 'zip', 'source_directory')

shutil.unpack_archive() is used to extract the contents of an archive. This function takes two arguments: the name of the archive and the destination directory. shutil.unpack_archive() will extract all of the files and subdirectories from the archive to the destination directory.

import shutil

shutil.unpack_archive('archive_name.zip', 'destination_directory')

These are the basic steps for archiving and compressing files and directories with shutil in Python. The shutil library provides additional functions for working with archives and compressed files, including the ability to add and extract specific files from an archive, as well as the ability to create password-protected archives.

Moving Files and Directories with Shutil

Shutil provides the shutil.move() function for moving files and directories in Python. This function takes two arguments: the source file or directory and the destination file or directory.

shutil.move() works by first copying the source file or directory to the destination, and then removing the original source file or directory. This function will automatically handle the case where the source and destination are on different file systems, and it will preserve file metadata, such as timestamps and permissions.

import shutil

shutil.move('source_file_or_directory', 'destination_file_or_directory')

It’s important to note that if the destination file or directory already exists, shutil.move() will raise an error. To avoid this, you can either use the dst_dir_exists_ok argument to allow shutil.move() to overwrite the destination directory if it already exists, or you can use the shutil.copy2() and os.remove() functions to move the source file or directory to the destination in two separate steps.

import shutil
import os

shutil.copy2('source_file_or_directory', 'destination_file_or_directory')
os.remove('source_file_or_directory')

Deleting Files and Directories with Shutil

Shutil provides several functions for deleting files and directories in Python. The most commonly used functions for this purpose are os.remove() and shutil.rmtree().

os.remove() is used to delete a single file in Python. This function takes a single argument, the name of the file to be deleted, and it will remove the file from the file system.

import os

os.remove('file_to_delete')

shutil.rmtree() is used to delete a directory and all of its contents in Python. This function takes a single argument, the name of the directory to be deleted, and it will remove the directory and all of its contents, including any subdirectories and files, from the file system.

import shutil

shutil.rmtree('directory_to_delete')

It’s important to note that both os.remove() and shutil.rmtree() are permanent and cannot be undone. It’s recommended to use these functions with caution and to consider using the os.rename() function to move a file or directory to a backup location before deleting it.

Advanced Shutil Functions

Shutil provides several advanced functions for working with files and directories in Python. Some of the most commonly used advanced functions in shutil include:

• shutil.copystat(): This function is used to copy the metadata (e.g. permissions, timestamps, etc.) of a source file or directory to a destination file or directory.

import shutil

shutil.copystat('source_file_or_directory', 'destination_file_or_directory')

• shutil.copytree(): This function is used to copy a directory and all of its contents to a destination directory.

import shutil

shutil.copytree('source_directory', 'destination_directory')

• shutil.which(): This function is used to find the location of an executable in the system’s PATH.

import shutil

executable_location = shutil.which('executable_name')

• shutil.disk_usage(): This function is used to get the disk usage statistics for a file system.

import shutil

disk_usage = shutil.disk_usage('file_system_location')

These are some of the advanced functions available in the shutil library in Python. The shutil library is just one of many libraries available in Python for working with files and directories, and the best library to use will depend on your specific use case. In this article, we’ve covered the basics of the shutil library, but it’s always a good idea to consult the official documentation for more information and examples.

Python shutil FAQ

1. What is shutil in Python? Shutil is a library in Python that provides a number of high-level file operations. It is built on top of the lower-level file operations provided by the os library and is commonly used for operations such as copying, moving, and deleting files and directories.
2. What are some common use cases for shutil in Python? Some common use cases for shutil in Python include copying and moving files and directories, archiving and compressing files, and deleting files and directories.
3. How is shutil different from the os library in Python? The os library in Python provides a number of lower-level file operations, such as creating and deleting files and directories and accessing file metadata. Shutil is built on top of the os library and provides a higher-level interface for performing file operations, making it easier to perform common file operations in Python.
4. Can I copy files and directories with shutil in Python? Yes, shutil provides the shutil.copy() function for copying files and the shutil.copytree() function for copying directories and all of their contents.
5. Can I delete files and directories with shutil in Python? Yes, shutil provides the os.remove() function for deleting individual files and the shutil.rmtree() function for deleting directories and all of their contents.
6. What are some advanced functions available in shutil in Python? Some advanced functions available in shutil in Python include shutil.copystat() for copying file metadata, shutil.copytree() for copying directories, shutil.which() for finding the location of an executable, and shutil.disk_usage() for getting disk usage statistics.
7. Is shutil the only library in Python for working with files and directories? No, shutil is just one of many libraries available in Python for working with files and directories. Other libraries include os, os.path, and glob, among others. The best library to use will depend on your specific use case.