Working with the filesystem in volume.
WHAT PYTHON DOES WELL
Renaming in bulk Sorting files into folders Finding files by pattern Cleaning up by age Checking for duplicates
WHAT TO DO BEFORE ANY BULK OPERATION
Run it in a mode that reports without acting.
Verify the list is what you expect.
WHY
A bulk operation on the wrong pattern is destructive and immediate.
WHAT TO BE CAREFUL WITH
Deleting Overwriting Moving files out of their location Recursing further than intended
WHAT TO CHECK
That the path is what you think That you are not following links out of the intended tree
WHAT TO PREFER
Moving to a holding folder over deleting.
WHAT TO LOG
Every file affected.
WHY
So an unintended operation can be reversed.
WHAT TO BACK UP FIRST
Anything irreplaceable.
WHAT TO TEST ON
A copy, with representative examples including awkward filenames.
WHAT TO HANDLE
Permission errors, missing files, and names with unusual characters.
