Copy Files and Directories in Python

One of the most commonly used functionalities of Python is file and directory management. In this tutorial, we will learn how to copy files and directories in Python using built-in functions. Copying files and directories is an essential task for any developer or system administrator who needs to transfer data from one location to another. This tutorial will provide a comprehensive guide on the syntax, methods, and examples of copying files and directories in Python. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced programmer, this tutorial will help you develop skills in managing files and directories in Python.

Different methods to copy files from a directory 

The shutil.copyfile() method

• Use the  shutil  module's  copyfile()  method to copy a file from a source path to a destination path.
• Code Sample : 

import shutil

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
shutil.copyfile(source_file, destination_file)

The shutil.copy() method

• Use the  shutil  module's  copy()  method to copy a file from a source path to a destination path, preserving the metadata of the source file.
• Code Sample : 

import shutil

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
shutil.copy(source_file, destination_file)

The shutil.copy2() method

• Use the  shutil  module's  copy2()  method to copy a file from a source path to a destination path, preserving the metadata of the source file.
• Use the  shutil  module's  copy()  method to copy a file from a source path to a destination path, preserving the metadata of the source file.
• Use the  shutil  module's  copy2()  method to also preserve the file's metadata such as timestamps and permissions.
• Code Sample : 

import shutil

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
shutil.copy2(source_file, destination_file)

The shutil.copyfileobj() method

• Use the  shutil  module's  copyfileobj()  method to copy the contents of a file to another file, specifying the buffer size and offset.
• Code Sample : 

import shutil

source_file = open("/path/to/source/file", "rb")
destination_file = open("/path/to/destination/file", "wb")
shutil.copyfileobj(source_file, destination_file, length=16*1024*1024, offset=0)
source_file.close()
destination_file.close()

The os.popen() method

• Use the  os.popen()  method to copy files from a source path to a destination path.
• Code Sample : 

import os

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
os.popen("cp {0} {1}".format(source_file, destination_file))

The os.system() method

• Use the  os.system()  method to copy files from a source path to a destination path.
• Code Sample : 

import os

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
os.system("cp {0} {1}".format(source_file, destination_file))

The subprocess.call() method

• Use the  subprocess.call()  method to copy files from a source path to a destination path, specifying the shell command to be executed.
• Code Sample : 

import subprocess

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
subprocess.call(['cp', source_file, destination_file])

The subprocess.check_output() method

• Use the  subprocess.check_output()  method to copy files from a source path to a destination path, specifying the shell command to be executed.
• Code Sample : 

import subprocess

source_file = "/path/to/source/file"
destination_file = "/path/to/destination/file"
subprocess.check_output(['cp', source_file, destination_file])

How to copy all files from a directory

• Use the  shutil  module's   copy()   method to copy all files from a directory to another directory.
• Code Sample : 

import os
import shutil

source_directory = "/path/to/source_directory"
destination_directory = "/path/to/destination_directory"
for file_name in os.listdir(source_directory):
   source = os.path.join(source_directory, file_name)
   destination = os.path.join(destination_directory, file_name)
   shutil.copy(source, destination)
   
   
   

How to copy entire directory in python

• Use the  shutil  module's   copytree()   method to copy an entire directory to another directory.
• Code Sample : 

import shutil

source_directory = "/path/to/source_directory"
destination_directory = "/path/to/destination_directory"
shutil.copytree(source_directory, destination_directory)