Python test if file exists

The path. It returns a boolean value. The function will return True if the path points to a file and the file exists. Similar to the os. This function is the isdir function, which takes a path as a parameter. The difference here is that the function is agnostic to file or directory.

Furthermore, it allows us to check if a file or directory exists — thereby overwriting the assumption that the function also checks the type of the path.

In this tutorial, you learned how to use Python to check if a file or a directory exists. You learned how to use the pathlib library for an object-oriented approach to accomplish this. You then learned how to use the os library to check if either a file or a directory exists. To learn more about the pathlib library, check out the official documentation here. To learn more about the os library, check out the official documentation here. The Quick Answer: Use pathlib.

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Live Project Expand child menu Expand. AI Expand child menu Expand. Toggle Menu Close. You can use the os. Say that you want to know whether the file. You could use the following code to check if that file exists:. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life! In addition, if we want to check whether the directory. The isfile , isdir and exists methods allow you to do so. The following table summarizes when to use what function in Python you should use to determine whether certain files or directories exist:.

To do so, use the following code: import os. Read our How to Learn Python article for advice on how you can acquire the skills you need to master Python. About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers.

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Find the right bootcamp for you. Find a top-rated training program. What is a Coding Bootcamp? As shown above, os. This answer is outdated. On Python 3. Thus: if not os. For Python 3 need to replace file with open : if not os. Did you mean to say, "The latter will create the file if it does not exist. Epcylon Epcylon 4, 2 2 gold badges 24 24 silver badges 34 34 bronze badges. That's 'fd' not 'ds' — Ron Davis.

That exception catches everything and handles it all the same Should use except OSError as e. If when the file doesn't exist you want to create it as empty, the simplest approach is with open thepath, 'a' : pass in Python 2.

Alex Martelli Alex Martelli k gold badges silver badges bronze badges. Open does unnecessary actions if you just want to check the existence of the file though it is true, open is the best way to read and write files , and requires read privileges of the file to verify the existence of the file.

You can retrieve all existing files be it symbolic links or normal : os. Returns True for broken symbolic links. Equivalent to exists on platforms lacking os.