Parsing Files: Copying Files

Copying Files in Python

In the dynamic world of Python programming, file operations are a cornerstone. While reading and writing files are fundamental, there are times when you need to duplicate or backup files. This guide will walk you through the process of copying files in Python, ensuring you have a robust toolkit for your file management needs.

1. Using the shutil Library

Python's standard library, shutil, provides a convenient method for copying files.

import shutil

# Copying 'source.txt' to 'destination.txt'
shutil.copy('source.txt', 'destination.txt')

Key Takeaway: The shutil.copy() method is straightforward and handles the copying process efficiently.

2. Copying and Preserving Metadata

If you want to copy a file and retain its metadata (like permissions), use the copy2 method.

shutil.copy2('source.txt', 'destination.txt')

Pro Tip: This method is especially useful when copying system or configuration files where metadata is crucial.

3. Copying Directories

For copying entire directories, shutil offers the copytree method.

# Copying the 'source_directory' to 'destination_directory'
shutil.copytree('source_directory', 'destination_directory')

Note: Ensure the destination directory doesn't exist beforehand, or you'll encounter an error.

4. Using os Library for File Operations

While shutil is powerful, sometimes you might want to leverage the os library for more granular control.

import os

# Define source and destination paths
source = 'source.txt'
destination = 'destination.txt'

# Use open and write methods for copying
with open(source, 'rb') as src_file:
    with open(destination, 'wb') as dest_file:
        dest_file.write(src_file.read())

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