Python provides a variety of file handling libraries and modules that allow programmers to work with files and perform various operations such as reading, writing, and modifying files. In this tutorial, we will explore some of these libraries and modules and learn how to use them effectively in file handling for Python automation. 1. Using the `os` module: The `os` module in Python provides various functions for interacting with the operating system. It includes functions for handling files, directories, and paths. Some commonly used functions include: – `os.path.exists(path)`: Checks if a file or directory exists at the specified path. – `os.path.isfile(path)`: Checks if the specified path corresponds to a file. – `os.path.isdir(path)`: Checks if the specified path corresponds to a directory. – `os.path.getsize(path)`: Returns the size of the file at the specified path in bytes. – `os.mkdir(path)`: Creates a new directory at the specified path. – `os.rmdir(path)`: Removes an empty directory at the specified path. 2. Using the `shutil` module: The `shutil` module provides a higher-level interface for file operations. It offers functions for copying, moving, and deleting files and directories. Some commonly used functions include: – `shutil.copy(src, dst)`: Copies a file from the source path to the destination path. – `shutil.move(src, dst)`: Moves a file from the source path to the destination path. – `shutil.rmtree(path)`: Removes a directory and all of its contents recursively. 3. Using the `gzip` module: The `gzip` module provides a simple way to compress and decompress files using the gzip format. It allows us to reduce file sizes and save disk space. To compress a file, you can use the following code: “`python import gzip with open(‘input.txt’, ‘rb’) as f_in: with gzip.open(‘input.txt.gz’, ‘wb’) as f_out: f_out.write(f_in.read()) “` To decompress a gzip file, you can use the following code: “`python import gzip with gzip.open(‘input.txt.gz’, ‘rb’) as f_in: with open(‘output.txt’, ‘wb’) as f_out: f_out.write(f_in.read()) “` 4. Using the `zipfile` module: The `zipfile` module allows us to work with zip archives in Python. It provides functions for creating, extracting, and modifying zip files. Some commonly used functions include: – `zipfile.ZipFile(file, mode)`: Opens a zip file in the specified mode (e.g., ‘r’ for reading, ‘w’ for writing). – `ZipFile.extractall(path)`: Extracts all files from a zip archive to the specified path. – `ZipFile.write(filename)`: Adds a file to a zip archive. 5. Using the `csv` module: The `csv` module provides a convenient way to work with comma-separated values (CSV) files. It offers functions for reading and writing CSV files. To read data from a CSV file, you can use the following code: “`python import csv with open(‘data.csv’, ‘r’) as f: reader = csv.reader(f) for row in reader: print(row) “` To write data to a CSV file, you can use the following code: “`python import csv data = [ [‘Name’, ‘Age’], [‘John’, ’25’], [‘Jane’, ’30’] ] with open(‘data.csv’, ‘w’) as f: writer = csv.writer(f) writer.writerows(data) “` 6. Using the `json` module: The `json` module provides functions for working with JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data. It allows us to read and write JSON files. To read data from a JSON file, you can use the following code: “`python import json with open(‘data.json’, ‘r’) as f: data = json.load(f) print(data) “` To write data to a JSON file, you can use the following code: “`python import json data = { ‘name’: ‘John’, ‘age’: 25 } with open(‘data.json’, ‘w’) as f: json.dump(data, f) “` That concludes our tutorial on using file handling libraries and modules in Python. We have covered the `os`, `shutil`, `gzip`, `zipfile`, `csv`, and `json` modules. These libraries and modules provide a wide range of functionalities for working with files and can be useful in various automation tasks. By familiarizing yourself with these libraries and modules, you will be able to handle files efficiently in Python automation projects.