def search_text(file, text, new_text): f = open(file, 'r') content = f.read() print(text, content.find(new_text)) #if len(text) < len(new_text) and content.find(new_text)>=0: # return content = content.replace(text, new_text) f.close() with open(file, 'w') as f: f.write(content) file = './api/settings.py' text1 = "'PORT': '5423'" newtext1 = "'PORT': '5423'" search_text(file, text1, newtext1) text1 = "MODE = 'prod'" newtext1 = "MODE = 'dev'" search_text(file, text1, newtext1) text1 = "DEBUG = False" newtext1 = "DEBUG = True" search_text(file, text1, newtext1)