How to copy file in Python3?

Last Updated : 02 Dec, 2020

Prerequisites: Shutil

When we require a backup of data, we usually make a copy of that file. Python supports file handling and allows users to handle files i.e., to read and write files, along with many other file handling options, to operate on files. Here we will learn how to copy a file using Python3.

Method 1 : Using shutil library

shutil library includes a method call copyfile(). The method takes two parameters, one is source path of file and other is destination path of file. The following image includes a file with its path.

Syntax:

copyfile(source_path,destination_path)

Source Path of File

Program:

Python3

# copy a file using shutil.copyfile() method 
import shutil 
  
# path where original file is located 
sourcePath = "c:\\SourceFolder\\gfg.txt"
  
# path were a copy of file is needed 
destinationPath = "c:\\DestinationFolder\\gfgcopy.txt"
  
# call copyfile() method 
shutil.copyfile(sourcePath, destinationPath) 

Output:

Destination Folder

Method 2 : copying data of file into another file

Copying data of one file to another file could also create a backup of file. Suppose the data of file is as below:

Data in source file

Program:

Python3

# open source file in read mode 
source = open("c:\\SourceFolder\\gfg.txt", "r") 
  
# open destination file in write mode 
dest = open("c:\\DestinationFolder\\gfgcopy.txt", "w") 
  
# read first line 
line = source.readline() 
  
# read lines until reached EOF 
while line: 
  
    # write line into destination file 
    dest.write(line) 
    # read another line 
    line = source.readline() 
  
# close both files 
source.close() 
dest.close() 