Filtering out attributes fields of a vector layer using PyQGIS

Question

I have a vector layer with 50 columns/fields. I have been trying to find a way of selecting 6 columns of particular interest (by name or index) and then creating a new layer from that selection, such that my new layer only has those 6 columns within it. I am hoping to achieve this with PyQGIS
At present, the only way I've solved this is to create a copy of the layer and then, following the documentation, delete attributes I don't want to keep from that copied layer. Seems very clunky. I would prefer a method that does this by selection rather than deletion

caps = layer.dataProvider().capabilities()
if caps & QgsVectorDataProvider.DeleteAttributes:
    res = layer.dataProvider().deleteAttributes([43,42])
    layer.updateFields()

Is there a more elegant way of doing this?

Ben W · Accepted Answer

You can use the code below. Just modify the field_list object to contain the names of the 6 fields you want to copy, select your source layer as the active layer and run the code.
# Place the names the of the 6 fields you want to keep in the list below
field_list = ['Field_Name_1',
              'Field_Name_2',
              'Field_Name_3',
              'Field_Name_4',
              'Field_Name_5',
              'Field_Name_6']

# select the layer you want to copy
src_layer = iface.activeLayer()

geom_type = QgsWkbTypes.displayString(src_layer.wkbType())
src_crs = src_layer.crs().authid().split(':')[1]
uri = '{}?epsg:{}'.format(geom_type, src_crs)
res_layer = QgsVectorLayer(uri, 'Result', 'memory')
res_layer.dataProvider().addAttributes([f for f in src_layer.fields() if f.name() in field_list])
res_layer.updateFields()
with edit(res_layer):
    for feat in src_layer.getFeatures():
        atts = {}
        for i in field_list:
            atts[res_layer.fields().lookupField(i)] = feat.attribute(src_layer.fields().lookupField(i))
        res_feat = QgsFeature()
        res_feat.setGeometry(feat.geometry())
        res_layer.dataProvider().addFeature(res_feat)
        res_layer.dataProvider().changeAttributeValues({res_feat.id(): atts})

QgsProject().instance().addMapLayer(res_layer)

Filtering out attributes fields of a vector layer using PyQGIS

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