Table of Contents
Use os.path to check if the file exists
Use pathlib to judge more modern and clearer
Notes and FAQs
Home Backend Development Python Tutorial How to check if a file exists in Python

How to check if a file exists in Python

Jul 28, 2025 am 02:44 AM

Check if the file exists for available os or pathlib modules. 1. Use os.path.exists() to determine whether the path exists, and os.path.isfile() to determine whether it is a file; 2. Use pathlib's Path().exists() and Path().is_file() methods to be more modern and clear; 3. It is recommended to directly try to open the file and use try-except to handle exceptions to avoid race conditions. The three methods have their own applicable scenarios, and the choice depends on the code style and Python version.

How to check if a file exists in Python

To check whether a file exists, Python provides several simple and straightforward methods. The most common is to use the os or pathlib modules in the standard library. They can all complete this task well, and the specific choice depends on your code style and requirements.

How to check if a file exists in Python

Use os.path to check if the file exists

This is a more traditional way to use in old projects or simple scripts:

 import os

if os.path.exists("example.txt"):
    print("File exists")
else:
    print("File does not exist")

If you want to more accurately determine whether it is a normal file (rather than a directory or other type), you can use os.path.isfile() :

How to check if a file exists in Python
  • os.path.exists(path) : Whether the path exists (including files, directories, symbolic links, etc.)
  • os.path.isfile(path) : Is it a file

This method is simple and effective, but the code is a bit verbose, especially when dealing with complex paths.

Use pathlib to judge more modern and clearer

Since Python 3.4, pathlib is recommended, which handles paths in an object-oriented way, and the syntax is more concise:

How to check if a file exists in Python
 from pathlib import Path

file_path = Path("example.txt")

if file_path.exists():
    print("File exists")
else:
    print("File does not exist")

If you just want to confirm that it is a file instead of a directory, you can also call .is_file() method:

  • file_path.exists() : Does it exist
  • file_path.is_file() : Is it a file

Compared with os.path , pathlib is written more readable and easier to call in chains.

Notes and FAQs

Sometimes, even if you write the judgment logic correctly, you may encounter unexpected results, such as:

  • Path misspelled or case sensitive (especially on Linux systems)
  • File permission issues make it impossible to access
  • Files are modified by other programs in multi-threaded or multi-process environments

suggestion:

  • Using absolute paths can reduce path errors
  • Add exception handling to prevent program crash
  • If you just want to open the file, you can directly use try-except to catch the exception instead of judging whether it exists first

For example:

 Try:
    with open("example.txt") as f:
        print(f.read())
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("File not found")

This is actually safer because it avoids the race conditions between "checking existence" and "actually open".

Basically these methods. Which method to choose depends on your project style and Python version requirements.

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