Python File Paths and Directories

What Is a File Path in Python?

A file path tells Python where to find or save a file or folder on your operating system. You can use:

Absolute Path - Full path from the root directory.
Relative Path - Path relative to the current working directory.

Absolute vs Relative Path in Python

Absolute Path Example:

path = "/home/user/documents/file.txt"

Relative Path Example:

path = "documents/file.txt"

Use os.getcwd() to check your current working directory:

import os
print(os.getcwd())

Using os.path for Cross-Platform Paths

Join Paths

import os
path = os.path.join("folder", "subfolder", "file.txt")
print(path)

Output (cross-platform):

Linux/macOS: folder/subfolder/file.txt
Windows: folder\subfolder\file.txt

Get Absolute Path

print(os.path.abspath("file.txt"))

Get File or Directory Name

print(os.path.basename("/home/user/file.txt"))  # file.txt
print(os.path.dirname("/home/user/file.txt"))   # /home/user

Check File or Directory Exists

print(os.path.exists("file.txt"))         # True
print(os.path.isdir("folder"))            # True
print(os.path.isfile("file.txt"))         # True

Modern Path Handling with pathlib

from pathlib import Path

# Create path object
p = Path("folder") / "file.txt"

# Absolute path
print(p.resolve())

# Check if file exists
print(p.exists())

# Get parts of the path
print(p.parent)     # folder
print(p.name)       # file.txt

Example: Reading a File Using Path

from pathlib import Path

file_path = Path("docs") / "notes.txt"

if file_path.exists():
    with open(file_path, "r") as file:
        print(file.read())

Create Directories with Python

from pathlib import Path

# Create a single folder
Path("data").mkdir(exist_ok=True)

# Create nested folders
Path("data/year/month").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)

Best Practices for File Paths

Use pathlib.Path for modern and clean syntax.
Avoid hardcoding paths - use os.path.join() or / operator with Path.
Always check if a file or folder exists before reading/writing.