`shutil`

The Python shutil module provides a higher-level interface for file operations, including copying and removal. It builds upon the capabilities of the os module. It’s particularly useful for managing files and directories.

Here’s a quick example:

>>> import shutil
>>> shutil.copyfile("source.txt", "destination.txt")
'destination.txt'

Key Features

Copies files and directories
Moves files and directories
Removes files and directories
Archives and unarchives files
Discovers available disk space

Frequently Used Classes and Functions

Object	Type	Description
`shutil.copyfile()`	Function	Copies the contents of a file to another file
`shutil.copytree()`	Function	Recursively copies an entire directory tree
`shutil.move()`	Function	Moves a file or directory to another location
`shutil.rmtree()`	Function	Recursively deletes a directory tree
`shutil.disk_usage()`	Function	Returns disk usage statistics about the given path

Examples

Move a file to a new directory:

>>> shutil.move("example.txt", "/new/location/example.txt")
'/new/location/example.txt'

Remove a directory and all its contents:

>>> shutil.rmtree("directory")

Common Use Cases

Copying and moving files or directories
Removing directories and their contents
Creating archives of directories
Checking disk space before performing file operations

Real-World Example

Suppose you want to organize a project by moving all .txt files from a source directory to a target directory and then creating a ZIP archive of the target directory:

>>> import shutil, os
>>> source_dir = "source_directory"
>>> target_dir = "target_directory"
>>> os.makedirs(target_dir, exist_ok=True)

>>> for filename in os.listdir(source_dir):
...     if filename.endswith(".txt"):
...         shutil.move(os.path.join(source_dir, filename), target_dir)
...

>>> shutil.make_archive("target_archive", "zip", target_dir)
'target_archive.zip'

This example demonstrates how to organize files and create a backup archive using the shutil module.

Tutorial

Working With Files in Python

In this tutorial, you'll learn how you can work with files in Python by using built-in modules to perform practical tasks that involve groups of files, like renaming them, moving them around, archiving them, and getting their metadata.

basics python

For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:

Python's zipfile: Manipulate Your ZIP Files Efficiently (Tutorial)
How to Get a List of All Files in a Directory With Python (Tutorial)
Practical Recipes for Working With Files in Python (Course)
Manipulating ZIP Files With Python (Course)
Listing All Files in a Directory With Python (Course)

By Leodanis Pozo Ramos • Updated July 17, 2025

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