Working with zip files is a common task in data processing and web scraping applications. Sometimes, datasets are provided in zip files, or you might want to compress your data into zip files for efficient storage.

Python provides several ways to handle zip files using the built-in zipfile module. In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to import a zip file in Python.

Step 1: Import the zipfile Module

First, we need to import the zipfile module. This module provides tools to create, read, write, append, and list a ZIP file. Add the following Python code:

Step 2: Open a Zip File

Next, we open the ZIP file we wish to import. The zipfile.ZipFile() function is used to open ZIP files. Pass in the path to your ZIP file as the argument:

In this example, ‘r’ is used because we’re reading the file. ‘w’ would be used for writing to the file. Replace ‘path_to_your_zipfile.zip’ with the path to the ZIP file you wish to open.

Step 3: Interact with Files in the Zip File

With the zipfile module, Python can read data from files located within the ZIP file:

The namelist() function returns a list of all the files and directories in the ZIP file.

Step 4: Extract the Files From the Zip

To extract files from the ZIP file, we use the extractall() function and specify the directory to extract to as the argument:

Replace ‘path_to_directory_to_extract_to’ with the path to the directory where you want to extract the files.

Step 5: Close the Zip File

After we’re done with the ZIP file, it’s good practice to close the file in Python:

Example Code:

Conclusion

Handling ZIP files in Python is straightforward thanks to the built-in zipfile module. This tutorial outlined the steps and functions needed to import and extract a ZIP file in Python.

This just scratches the surface of what you can do with the zipfile module – you can also create and modify ZIP files, among other things. For more information, please refer to the official Python documentation.