Python os.path.isfile() Method

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The isfile(path) method in the os.path module is used to determine whether a given pathname is an existing regular file pathname or not. This method follows symbolic links, so it can return True for paths that are symbolic links to regular files.

This method can be useful when working with file paths to ensure that the provided path is exactly an exisiting file path not a directory or invalid path.

Syntax

Following is the syntax of the method −

os.path.isfile(path)

Parameters

Here are the details of its parameters −

• path: This parameter represents a path-like object, which can be either a string or bytes object representing a file system path, or an object implementing the 'os.PathLike' protocol.

Return Value

The method returns a boolean value, True represents the provided pathname 'path' is an existing regular file. And Flase represents the given path is not a regular file, such as a directory or if the file does not exist.

Examples

Let's explore some examples to understand how the os.path.isfile() method works.

Example

The following example uses the os.path.isfile() method to determine the given pathname 'D:/MyFile.txt' is an absolute pathname or a relative pathname.

# Import the os module
import os

# Define the path
path = 'D:/MyFile.txt'

# Check if the path is absolute
is_file = os.path.isfile(path)

# Print the result
if is_file:
    print(f'The given path: {path} is an existing regular file:', )
else:
    print(f"The given path: '{path}' does not point to an existing regular file or is not a file.")

Output

On executing the above code you will get the following output −

The given path: 'D:/MyFile.txt' does not point to an existing regular file or is not a file.

Example

In this example, the following pathname "mydir/../myfile.txt" is given to the os.path.isfile() method, to determine whether it is an existing regular file pathname or not.

# Import the os module
import os

# Define the path
path = 'mydir/../myfile.txt'

# Check if the path is absolute
is_file = os.path.isfile(path)

# Print the result
if is_file:
    print(f'The given path: {path} is an existing regular file:', )
else:
    print(f"The given path: '{path}' does not point to an existing regular file or is not a file.")

Output

On executing the above code in our online compiler will get the following output −

The given path: 'mydir/../myfile.txt' does not point to an existing regular file or is not a file.

Example

This example uses the os.path.isfile() method and the __file__ attribute to check the current script file pathname is a valid file path or not.

# Import the os module
import os

# Define the path
path = __file__

# Check if the path is absolute
is_file = os.path.isfile(path)

# Print the result
if is_file:
    print(f'The given path: {path} is an existing regular file:', )
else:
    print(f"The given path: '{path}' does not point to an existing regular file or is not a file.")

Output

On executing the above code in our online compiler will get the following output −

The given path: /home/cg/root/66260f4adb57d/main.py is an existing regular file.