How Can I Implement Cross-Platform File Locking in Python to Prevent Concurrent Modification?

Locking a File in Python for Simultaneous Access

In Python, protecting files from concurrent modification attempts by multiple processes requires an effective file locking mechanism. However, finding a cross-platform solution has proven challenging.

Update (June 2024)

Modern Python offers several reliable cross-platform file locking options:

• filelock: A robust and widely used library.
• Portalocker: Another popular choice, known for its simplicity.
• oslo.concurrency: Provides advanced synchronization utilities for managing file access across processes.

Original Answer

Previously, a custom solution was implemented and shared (now archived). Here's how it works:

from filelock import FileLock

with FileLock("myfile.txt.lock"):
    # File operations with exclusive access
    print("Lock acquired.")

This solution employs the FileLock class to create a lock file named "myfile.txt.lock." While the with block is active, the main Python script maintains exclusive access to the file, preventing other processes from modifying it. When the block ends, the lock is released automatically.

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