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shutil for high-level file operations

shutil provides high-level file and directory operations. It is a practical tool when you need to copy, move, archive, or remove filesystem content without writing low-level loops yourself.

Why it is useful​

Useful operations include:

  • copy() and copy2()
  • copytree()
  • move()
  • rmtree()
  • make_archive()

Example:

import shutil

shutil.copy("report.txt", "backup/report.txt")

When to be careful​

These functions can affect large parts of the filesystem quickly. Double-check paths, especially for recursive operations like rmtree() and copytree().

Rules of thumb​

  • Use shutil for high-level filesystem tasks.
  • Prefer built-in helpers over manual copy loops.
  • Be especially careful with recursive operations.