How to Check for File Existence in Python Without Using Exceptions?

Determining File Existence Without Exceptions

When dealing with file handling, it is crucial to verify the existence of a file before attempting operations to avoid exceptions. Here's how to accomplish this task without relying on the try statement:

Using os.path.isfile

In scenarios where you don't plan on immediately opening the file, you can employ os.path.isfile, especially if you need confirmation that the entity is a file. This function returns True if the provided path corresponds to an existing regular file. It is important to note that os.path.isfile follows symbolic links, meaning both islink() and isfile() can return True for the same path.

import os.path
os.path.isfile(fname)

Leveraging pathlib

Python 3.4 introduced the pathlib module, which provides an object-oriented approach. Using pathlib, you can perform existence checks using the Path object. Here are some examples:

• To check if a file exists:

  from pathlib import Path
  
  my_file = Path("/path/to/file")
  if my_file.is_file():
    # file exists

• To check if a directory exists:

  if my_file.is_dir():
    # directory exists

• To check if a Path object exists regardless of whether it's a file or directory:

  if my_file.exists():
    # path exists

Resolving Path with strict=True

You can also utilize resolve() with strict=True in a try block to determine existence. If the resolution is successful, the path exists; otherwise, it doesn't.

try:
    my_abs_path = my_file.resolve(strict=True)
except FileNotFoundError:
    # doesn't exist
else:
    # exists

By employing these techniques, you can confidently check for file existence without triggering unwanted exceptions, ensuring robust file handling operations in your code.

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