Automating File Backups

Backup strategy (simple and effective)

choose what to back up
create timestamped archives
store backups in a separate location

Zip a folder

backup_zip.py

from __future__ import annotations
 
from datetime import datetime
from pathlib import Path
import shutil
 
 
def backup_folder(folder: Path, out_dir: Path) -> Path:
    folder = folder.resolve()
    out_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
    stamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
    archive_base = out_dir / f"{folder.name}_{stamp}"
 
    # creates archive_base.zip
    archive_path = shutil.make_archive(str(archive_base), "zip", root_dir=str(folder))
    return Path(archive_path)
 
 
p = backup_folder(Path("./demo"), Path("./backups"))
print("created", p)

backup_zip.py

from __future__ import annotations
 
from datetime import datetime
from pathlib import Path
import shutil
 
 
def backup_folder(folder: Path, out_dir: Path) -> Path:
    folder = folder.resolve()
    out_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
    stamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
    archive_base = out_dir / f"{folder.name}_{stamp}"
 
    # creates archive_base.zip
    archive_path = shutil.make_archive(str(archive_base), "zip", root_dir=str(folder))
    return Path(archive_path)
 
 
p = backup_folder(Path("./demo"), Path("./backups"))
print("created", p)

Tips

keep multiple backups
test restore occasionally
don’t back up into the same folder you’re archiving

Visualize it

A backup script moves files from the source folder to a safe destination in a few clear steps.

diagram File backup flow mermaid

  flowchart LR
    A["Scan source folder"] --> B["Select files to back up"]
    B --> C["Compress into zip archive"]
    C --> D["Copy to backup destination"]

How a backup script moves files from source to destination

🧪 Try It Yourself

Exercise 1 – List Files with os.listdir

Exercise 2 – Join Paths with os.path.join

Exercise 3 – Write and Read a File

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