Simple Python Scripts: Examples to Automate Tasks and Learn Faster

Python scripts are powerful tools for boosting productivity. Writing and running simple Python programs not only saves time but also strengthens your understanding of Python programming concepts.

In this section, we will explore practical examples of Python scripts that can automate tasks such as:

• Generating random passwords

• Renaming files

• Converting CSV files to Excel

• Web scraping with BeautifulSoup

These examples will give you hands-on experience and help you to create your own automation scripts.

Generating Random Passwords

Creating a password generator in Python is a practical way to practice using the string and random modules. A strong password should ideally contain at least ten characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and special symbols.

Here’s a simple Python script to generate a random password:

import string

import random

def generate_password(length=10):

    characters = string.ascii_letters + string.digits + string.punctuation

    password = ''.join(random.choices(characters, k=length))

    return password

print(generate_password())

This script uses the random.choices() function to select random characters from a predefined list, ensuring a strong and complex password.

File Renaming Script

Manually renaming multiple files can be tedious and prone to errors. A Python script can speed up this process, saving time and ensuring consistency. Using the os module, you can loop through files and apply a specific naming convention or pattern.

Here’s an example script to rename files:

import os

def rename_files(directory, prefix):

    for count, filename in enumerate(os.listdir(directory)):

        dst = f"{prefix}_{str(count)}{os.path.splitext(filename)[1]}"

        src = f"{directory}/{filename}"

        dst = f"{directory}/{dst}"

        os.rename(src, dst)

rename_files('/path/to/directory', 'new_name')

This script renames all files in the specified directory by adding a prefix and a unique number to each file name, ensuring a consistent and organized naming convention.

CSV to Excel Conversion

This script reads a CSV file using pandas and writes it to an Excel file with openpyxl, making data easier to analyze, share, and present in a spreadsheet format.

import pandas as pd

def csv_to_excel(csv_file, excel_file):

    df = pd.read_csv(csv_file)

    df.to_excel(excel_file, index=False)

csv_to_excel('data.csv', 'data.xlsx')

This script reads a CSV file into a pandas DataFrame and then writes it to an Excel file, preserving the original data structure for easier analysis and sharing.

Web Scraping with BeautifulSoup

This script sends a request to the specified URL, retrieves the page content, and parses it using BeautifulSoup. From here, you can extract text, HTML elements, or other specific data from the page using BeautifulSoup’s functions.

Table of Useful Scripts

Here is a table of useful Python scripts that can automate various tasks and enhance your productivity: