Reference library

Files & data

Read and write files safely; parse JSON, CSV, and common text formats.

2 matches
Files & data easy

How to Archive Old Files by Age in Python

Move files older than a specified number of days from a source directory to an archive directory using Python's pathlib and shutil modules.

file-archiving pathlib shutil
Python
import os
import shutil
import time
from pathlib import Path

def archive_old_files(source_dir: str, archive_dir: str, days_old: int) -> None:
    cutoff_time = time.time() - (days_old * 86400)  # 86400 seconds in a day
    archive_path = Path(archive_dir)
    archive_path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)

    for i…
48 0 Open
Files & data easy

How to Build a Dated Backup Filename with Timestamp in Python

Generate unique backup filenames with a timestamp using Python's datetime module and f-strings.

datetime backup filenames
Python
from datetime import datetime

def build_backup_filename(base_name: str, extension: str = "bak") -> str:
    """Generate a dated backup filename with timestamp."""
    timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
    return f"{base_name}_{timestamp}.{extension}"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    backup_file = bu…
12 0 Open

Browse by section

Each section groups closely related Python snippets.

Files & data — Python code examples

What you will find here

This page collects files & data snippets — short, copy-ready Python you can paste into our free online IDE and run without installing anything. Each sample includes a plain-English explanation and the full source code.

Samples vs tutorials and challenges

Samples are quick reference — one concept per page. For step-by-step teaching, use our Python tutorials. To test yourself, try quizzes or coding challenges. Clean up style with the Python formatter.