apple/swift-nio

NIOFileSystem: provide a function that copies or replaces a file/dir

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#3,403 opened on Oct 12, 2025

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Description

Usually, when copying a file, I don't hugely mind if it already exists. If it does, I want to overwrite it.

NIO FS currently provides copyItem (fails if dest already exists) and replaceItem (fails if dest does not already exist). This makes for pretty awkward code if you want to do it correctly.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
swift
Domain
backend
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Swift programming basics
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
75
Research direction
Examine the existing NIOFileSystem API to understand the signatures of `copyItem` and `replaceItem`. Then implement a new function that first attempts to copy and falls back to replace if the destination exists, or vice versa. Consider handling errors and atomicity. Look at the FileSystem protocol and any existing implementations.
NIOFileSystem: provide a function that copies or replaces a file/dir · apple/swift-nio#3403 | Good First Issue