Automation & scripting
CLI tools, scheduled jobs, filesystem tasks, and glue scripts that save time.
How to Import Users from CSV into LDAP-like Dicts in Python
Reads a CSV of user records and converts each row into an LDAP-style dictionary with standard attributes using Python's csv module.
import csv
import io
from pathlib import Path
def mock_ldap_import(csv_path):
"""
Reads a CSV file with user data and returns a list of LDAP-like user dicts.
Adds standard LDAP attributes that would come from directory schema.
"""
with open(csv_path, newline="", encoding="utf-8") as csvfile:
…How to Kill Zombie Processes Matching a Name in Python
Scans running processes with ps, finds zombies whose command name matches a pattern, and attempts to kill them with SIGKILL.
import subprocess
import re
import signal
def find_zombies(name_pattern):
"""Find PIDs of zombie processes matching the given pattern."""
result = subprocess.run(["ps", "-eo", "pid,stat,comm"], capture_output=True, text=True)
zombies = []
for line in result.stdout.splitlines()[1:]: # Skip header
…How to Map Network Drive Paths to Local Paths in Python
Convert mock SMB network drive paths (like 'S:\reports\q1.xlsx') to local placeholder paths and back using a simple mapping dictionary in Python.
"""Map mock SMB network drive paths to local placeholder paths."""
from dataclasses import dataclass
@dataclass(frozen=True)
class NetworkDrive:
letter: str
remote_path: str
DRIVES = {
"S:": NetworkDrive("S", r"\\server01\shares\sales"),
"M:": NetworkDrive("M", r"\\server02\media\movies"),
"X:": …How to Merge PDFs in Python (Mock pypdf Stub)
Merge PDF files by concatenating their raw byte content using a simple stubbed class that mimics the pypdf interface.
import io
from hashlib import sha256
class PdfStub:
def __init__(self, data: bytes, name: str):
self.data = data
self.name = name
def get_content_bytes(self) -> bytes:
return self.data
def merge_pdfs_mock(pdf_stubs) -> bytes:
merged = io.BytesIO()
for stub in pdf_stubs:
…How to Mock FFmpeg subprocess Calls in Python
Compress a video with ffmpeg while mocking subprocess.run to test the command construction without executing the actual encoder.
import subprocess
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
def compress_video(input_path: str, output_path: str, crf: int = 23) -> None:
"""Compress a video using ffmpeg with a given CRF (quality) value."""
command = [
"ffmpeg",
"-i", input_path,
"-c:v", "libx264",
"-crf", str(cr…How to Mock a Whisper API Transcription Stub in Python
Simulate an OpenAI Whisper-style transcription response with a dataclass request model and a mock function that returns structured audio transcription output.
import json
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import Optional
@dataclass
class AudioRequest:
file_path: str
language: Optional[str] = None
def to_api_payload(self) -> dict:
return {"file": self.file_path, "language": self.language}
def mock_whisper_transcribe(payload: dict) -> dict:
…How to Mock an Ansible Inventory in Python
Load an Ansible-style inventory JSON file into Python and simulate a playbook run across hosts and groups.
import json
from pathlib import Path
class InventoryMock:
def __init__(self, inventory_file: str):
self.inventory_file = Path(inventory_file)
self.hosts = {}
def load(self):
if not self.inventory_file.exists():
raise FileNotFoundError(f"Inventory file {self.inventory_file…How to Mock subprocess Calls in Python with unittest.mock
A Python script that wraps Vagrant up/destroy commands using subprocess, with tests that mock the subprocess call to simulate outputs and errors.
import subprocess
from unittest.mock import patch, Mock
def run_vagrant(action: str) -> str:
result = subprocess.run(
["vagrant", action],
capture_output=True,
text=True,
check=False,
)
return result.stdout.strip()
def vagrant_wrapper(action: str) -> str:
if action n…How to Monitor Domain Expiration Dates in Python
A Python script that checks domain expiration dates using the python-whois library and warns when a domain is expiring soon.
import whois
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import time
def check_domain_expiry(domain_name):
"""Check when a domain expires and warn if soon."""
try:
w = whois.whois(domain_name)
expiry = w.expiration_date
# Handle list or single date
if isinstance(expiry, list):
…How to Parse CLI Arguments in Python with argparse
Build a beginner-friendly CLI with argparse that accepts optional --name, --greeting, and --uppercase flags, then prints a customizable greeting.
import argparse
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Greet a user with optional customization.")
parser.add_argument("--name", default="world", help="Name to greet")
parser.add_argument("--greeting", default="Hello", help="Greeting word")
parser.add_argument("--uppercase", action=…How to Parse Terraform Plan Output in Python
Parse mock Terraform plan output text into structured add, change, and destroy lists using Python.
import json
from typing import Dict, List
def parse_terraform_plan_output(plan_output_text: str) -> Dict[str, List[str]]:
"""
Parses a mock Terraform plan output text into a structured dictionary.
"""
parsed: Dict[str, List[str]] = {"add": [], "change": [], "destroy": []}
for line in plan_output_…How to Quarantine Suspicious Files in Python
Move files with suspicious extensions to a quarantine folder using pathlib and shutil for safe isolation.
import shutil
import os
from pathlib import Path
def quarantine_files(source_dir, quarantine_dir, suspicious_extensions):
"""
Move files with suspicious extensions to a quarantine folder.
Returns list of moved files.
"""
source_path = Path(source_dir)
quarantine_path = Path(quarantine_dir)
…How to Recover Deleted .txt Files from a Backup in Python
A Python function that searches a backup directory recursively and copies all .txt files to a destination folder, printing each recovered file name and a total count.
import os
import shutil
from pathlib import Path
def recover_deleted_txt_files(source_backup_dir: str, destination_dir: str) -> None:
"""Recover .txt files from backup directory."""
backup_path = Path(source_backup_dir)
dest_path = Path(destination_dir)
dest_path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
…How to Resize Hundreds of Images in Batch with Python
Resize every image in a folder to a target size using Pillow, creating a new subfolder for processed files.
import os
from PIL import Image
def resize_images_in_batch(directory, output_size=(800, 600)):
if not os.path.exists(directory):
print(f"Directory {directory} does not exist.")
return
output_dir = os.path.join(directory, "resized")
os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)
for filename in…How to Save a VM Snapshot State to a JSON File in Python
Define a dataclass for a VM snapshot and serialize it to a JSON file, then reload it to verify the state.
import json
from dataclasses import dataclass, asdict
from pathlib import Path
@dataclass
class VMSnapshot:
name: str
memory_mb: int
disk_gb: int
state: str = "saved"
def snapshot_to_file(self, path: Path) -> str:
"""Write snapshot state to a JSON file and return the filename."""
…How to Scan Files Against a Malware Hash List in Python
Compare a file's SHA-256 hash against a known malware hash set and report whether it's clean or infected.
import hashlib
from pathlib import Path
# Mock file content (in real usage, read from disk)
MOCK_FILE_CONTENT = b"print('hello world')"
KNOWN_MALWARE_HASHES = {
"8d969eef6ecad3c29a3a629280e686cf0c3f5d5a86aff3ca12020c923adc6c92",
"5e884898da28047151d0e56f8dc6292773603d0d6aabbdd62a11ef721d1542d8",
}
def sha25…How to Schedule Local Tasks Without Cron in Python
Run periodic tasks on a loop using the schedule library to mimic cron-like behavior from within Python.
import schedule
import time
from datetime import datetime
def greet():
print(f"Hello at {datetime.now().strftime('%H:%M:%S')}")
def check_time():
now = datetime.now()
print(f"Current time: {now:%H:%M:%S}")
schedule.every(5).seconds.do(greet)
schedule.every(10).seconds.do(check_time)
schedule.every(1).mi…How to Simulate a Traceroute in Python
This Python script simulates a network traceroute by generating mock hop IPs, random delays, and a destination reach condition, useful for testing network scripts.
import random
import time
def simulate_traceroute(destination, max_hops=30):
"""Simulate a traceroute to a destination with mock hop delays."""
print(f"Traceroute to {destination} ({max_hops} hops max):")
for hop in range(1, max_hops + 1):
# Mock IP address for the hop
mock_ip = f"10.0.{ra…How to Sort Command-Line Arguments in Python
Build a beginner-friendly argparse CLI that sorts numbers or words passed as arguments, with an optional reverse flag.
import argparse
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Sort numbers or words from the command line.")
parser.add_argument("items", nargs="+", help="Items to sort (numbers or words)")
parser.add_argument("--reverse", "-r", action="store_true", help="Sort in descending order")
args =…How to Split PDF Pages into Ranges in Python
Simulates splitting a PDF into page ranges by validating and returning structured range splits for automation workflows.
import os
def split_pdf_ranges(pdf_name, num_pages, ranges):
"""
Simulates splitting a PDF by returning the page ranges that would be split.
Args:
pdf_name (str): Name of the PDF file.
num_pages (int): Total number of pages in the PDF.
ranges (list of tuple): List of (start, end) …How to Update a Hosts File to Block Distractions in Python
This script updates a local hosts file (or a demo file) by adding or updating entries to block distracting websites like Facebook and Twitter.
from pathlib import Path
def update_hosts(entries):
"""
Add or update blocking entries in the hosts file.
Uses a local demo file by default to avoid system changes.
"""
hosts_path = Path("demo_hosts.txt")
# Create demo file if it doesn't exist
if not hosts_path.exists():
hosts…How to Watch a Folder and Convert New Images in Python
Watch a folder for new files and mock-convert images by copying and renaming them in an output directory.
import time
import hashlib
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime
def mock_convert_image(source: Path, dest_dir: Path) -> Path:
"""Mock image conversion: copy bytes and add .converted suffix."""
dest = dest_dir / f"{source.stem}.converted{source.suffix}"
dest.write_bytes(source.read_bytes(…How to Write an IP Block List to hosts.deny in Python
This Python script validates a list of IP addresses and CIDR ranges, then writes them to a hosts.deny file to block connections at the TCP wrapper level.
from ipaddress import ip_network
def write_hosts_deny(ip_list, output_file="hosts.deny"):
with open(output_file, "w") as f:
for ip in ip_list:
try:
ip_network(ip)
f.write(f"ALL: {ip}\n")
except ValueError:
continue
print(f"Written…How to automatically organize your Downloads folder by file type in Python
This script scans the Downloads folder and moves files into sub-folders based on their extensions (e.g., Images, Documents, Videos).
import os
import shutil
from pathlib import Path
def organize_downloads_folder(downloads_path=None):
if downloads_path is None:
downloads_path = str(Path.home() / "Downloads")
if not os.path.exists(downloads_path):
print(f"Path {downloads_path} does not exist.")
return
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