Comprehensive Guide to Python Excel Libraries: xlrd, xlwt, xlutils, xlwings, openpyxl, XlsxWriter, win32com, and pandas

This article introduces a wide range of Python libraries that enable reading, writing, and modifying Excel files, offering developers flexible tools for data processing and automation.

xlrd / xlwt : Used for reading and writing legacy .xls files. Installation via pip install xlrd xlwt . Example to read a sheet: import xlrd; wb = xlrd.open_workbook('file.xls'); sheet = wb.sheet_by_index(0); print(sheet.row_values(0)) . Example to write: import xlwt; wb = xlwt.Workbook(); ws = wb.add_sheet('Sheet1'); ws.write(0,0,'Hello'); wb.save('out.xls') .

xlutils : Extends xlrd/xlwt to copy and modify existing workbooks. Install with pip install xlutils . Sample usage: from xlutils.copy import copy; wb = xlrd.open_workbook('src.xls'); new_wb = copy(wb); new_wb.save('dest.xls') .

xlwings : Provides a high‑level interface to Excel, supporting reading, writing, formatting, and chart creation. Install with pip install xlwings . Basic workflow: import xlwings as xw; app = xw.App(visible=True); wb = xw.Book('file.xlsx'); sht = wb.sheets[0]; sht.range('A1').value = 'Data'; wb.save(); app.quit() . Includes examples for creating charts and manipulating cells.

openpyxl : Handles modern .xlsx files, allowing cell access, styling, and chart generation. Install via pip install openpyxl . Example to create a workbook: from openpyxl import Workbook; wb = Workbook(); ws = wb.active; ws['A1'] = 'Hello'; wb.save('demo.xlsx') . Also shows how to set fonts, alignments, merge cells, and create bar/3D charts.

XlsxWriter : Focuses on writing .xlsx files with rich formatting and chart support. Install with pip install XlsxWriter . Sample code: import xlsxwriter; wb = xlsxwriter.Workbook('report.xlsx'); ws = wb.add_worksheet(); ws.write('A1', 'Title', bold_format); chart = wb.add_chart({'type':'column'}); ws.insert_chart('E5', chart); wb.close() .

win32com : Allows automation of Excel through COM on Windows. Install using pip install pypiwin32 . Example to open and modify a workbook: import win32com.client as win32; app = win32.Dispatch('Excel.Application'); wb = app.Workbooks.Open(r'C:\path\file.xlsx'); sheet = wb.Worksheets('Sheet1'); sheet.Cells(1,2).Value = 'Updated'; wb.SaveAs(r'C:\path\new.xlsx'); app.Quit() .

pandas : Provides high‑level data structures for Excel I/O. Install with pip install pandas . Reading and writing: import pandas as pd; df = pd.read_excel('data.xlsx'); df.loc[4] = ['4','john','pandas']; df.to_excel('new.xlsx', index=False) . Demonstrates adding rows/columns and saving.

Each library section includes installation commands, core API usage, and practical code snippets, making this guide a one‑stop reference for Python developers working with Excel.