shutil

High-level file operations, similar to Python's shutil module. Provides functions for copying, moving, and removing files and directory trees.

import shutil

Functions

shutil.copy(src: str, dst: str) -> str

Copy a file to a destination. If dst is a directory, the file is copied into that directory with its original name. Similar to Python's shutil.copy().

Parameters:

• src (str) -- Source file path.
• dst (str) -- Destination file or directory path.

Returns: The path to the destination file.

shutil.copy("src.txt", "dst.txt")       # copy to file
shutil.copy("src.txt", "/tmp/")          # copy into directory

Raises:

• OSError -- Thrown if the source file does not exist or copying fails.

shutil.copy2(src: str, dst: str) -> str

Copy a file to a destination, preserving file metadata (timestamps). If dst is a directory, the file is copied into that directory. Similar to Python's shutil.copy2().

Parameters:

• src (str) -- Source file path.
• dst (str) -- Destination file or directory path.

Returns: The path to the destination file.

shutil.copy2("src.txt", "dst.txt")    # copy with timestamps

Raises:

• OSError -- Thrown if the source file does not exist or copying fails.

shutil.copytree(src: str, dst: str) -> str

Recursively copy a directory tree from src to dst. The destination directory must not already exist. Similar to Python's shutil.copytree().

Parameters:

• src (str) -- Source directory path.
• dst (str) -- Destination directory path (must not exist).

Returns: The path to the destination directory.

shutil.copytree("src_dir", "dst_dir")    # recursive copy

Raises:

• OSError -- Thrown if the source does not exist, destination exists, or copying fails.

shutil.rmtree(path: str)

Recursively delete a directory tree. Similar to Python's shutil.rmtree().

Parameters:

• path (str) -- The directory to remove.

shutil.rmtree("/tmp/mydir")    # delete directory and all contents

Raises:

• OSError -- Thrown if the directory does not exist or removal fails.

shutil.move(src: str, dst: str) -> str

Move a file or directory to another location. Similar to Python's shutil.move().

Parameters:

• src (str) -- Source file or directory path.
• dst (str) -- Destination path.

Returns: The destination path.

shutil.move("old.txt", "new.txt")         # rename/move file
shutil.move("old_dir", "new_dir")         # rename/move directory

Raises:

• OSError -- Thrown if the source does not exist or moving fails.

shutil.which(name: str) -> str?

Return the path to an executable which would be run if the given command was called. Returns null if no executable is found. Similar to Python's shutil.which().

Parameters:

• name (str) -- The command name to search for.

Returns: The full path to the executable, or null if not found.

shutil.which("python")    # "/usr/bin/python"
shutil.which("nonexist")  # None