Python Copy File or Folder

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Abstract:

To copy a file or dir is useful, python provide it by shutil, there are functions copyfile, copy, copymode, copy2, copytree.
This pages note the differences between them.

Content:

copy API in python:

  • copyfile, it cp file to file, the dst must also be a file(not folder).
    If there already a file with same name in dst, it will be coverd.
    Available command: shutil.copyfile file file

  • copy, it cp file to file/folder, the mode/createtime will be new.
    If there already a file with same name in dst, it will be coverd.
    Available command: shutil.copy file file|folder

  • copy2, similar to copy, but it also cp the mode/createtime from src.
    available command: shutil.copy2 file file|folder

  • copymode, it only copy mode, exclude file content.
    the dst file/folder must exist.
    available command: shutil.copymode file|folder file|folder

  • copytree, it can cp folder to folder
    the dst file/folder must not exist.
    available command: shutil.copytree folder folder

code example:

<script src="https://gist.github.com/DearDon/02a2a88639a8659a8905e21cb6615a5e.js?file=python-copy.py"></script>

History:

  • 2016-12-11:create the page
  • 2018-04-08:reformat the page with md title and gist for code snippet