Pathlib Module in Python - Smart Tutorials

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Working with files and folders is one of the most common tasks in programming — and Python makes it incredibly easy with the Pathlib module.

If you’ve ever struggled with os.path.join() or os.path.exists(), then you’ll love Pathlib — it’s modern, object-oriented, and far more readable!

Table of Contents

What is Pathlib?

The Pathlib module (introduced in Python 3.4) provides a high-level, object-oriented way to handle file system paths.
It replaces many old-style os and os.path functions, making code more clean, readable, and cross-platform.

You can think of Pathlib as a smart file manager for your code.

Importing Pathlib Module

from pathlib import Path

from pathlib import Path

That’s it!
Now you can start working with files and directories using Path objects.

Creating Path Objects

from pathlib import Path

# Current directory
current = Path()

# Specific folder
downloads = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Downloads")

# Relative path
data_folder = Path("data/files")

from pathlib import Path

# Current directory
current = Path()

# Specific folder
downloads = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Downloads")

# Relative path
data_folder = Path("data/files")

Each path here is an object — meaning you can call methods and access properties directly on it.

Useful Path Attributes

Attribute	Description	Example
`.name`	File or folder name	`Path("data/report.csv").name → 'report.csv'`
`.stem`	File name without extension	`'report'`
`.suffix`	File extension	`'.csv'`
`.parent`	Parent directory	`'data'`
`.exists()`	Check if path exists	`True/False`
`.is_file()`	Check if path is a file	`True/False`
`.is_dir()`	Check if path is a directory	`True/False`

Joining and Navigating Paths

Forget os.path.join() — Pathlib makes this easier with the / operator!

from pathlib import Path

base = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Documents")
file = base / "projects" / "python" / "notes.txt"

print(file)
# Output: C:\Users\Tejas\Documents\projects\python\notes.txt

from pathlib import Path

base = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Documents")
file = base / "projects" / "python" / "notes.txt"

print(file)
# Output: C:\Users\Tejas\Documents\projects\python\notes.txt

Cool, right? The / operator automatically joins paths correctly for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Also Read: OS Module in Python

Listing Files and Folders

path = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Downloads")

for file in path.iterdir():
    print(file)

path = Path("C:/Users/Tejas/Downloads")

for file in path.iterdir():
    print(file)

You can also filter files:

for file in path.glob("*.pdf"):
    print(file)

for file in path.glob("*.pdf"):
    print(file)

Use rglob() to search recursively in subfolders:

for file in path.rglob("*.xlsx"):
    print(file)

for file in path.rglob("*.xlsx"):
    print(file)

Reading and Writing Files

Pathlib makes file I/O super simple.

Write text to a file

file = Path("notes.txt")
file.write_text("Python is awesome!")

file = Path("notes.txt")
file.write_text("Python is awesome!")

Read text from a file

content = file.read_text()
print(content)

content = file.read_text()
print(content)

Binary files

binary_data = Path("image.png").read_bytes()

binary_data = Path("image.png").read_bytes()

Creating and Deleting Files or Folders

# Create a new folder
Path("backup").mkdir(exist_ok=True)

# Create nested folders
Path("data/2025/reports").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)

# Delete a file
Path("notes.txt").unlink()

# Remove an empty directory
Path("backup").rmdir()

# Create a new folder
Path("backup").mkdir(exist_ok=True)

# Create nested folders
Path("data/2025/reports").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)

# Delete a file
Path("notes.txt").unlink()

# Remove an empty directory
Path("backup").rmdir()

⚠️ Note: .rmdir() only removes empty folders.

Rename or Move Files

old = Path("old_report.txt")
new = Path("archive/report_2025.txt")

old.rename(new)

old = Path("old_report.txt")
new = Path("archive/report_2025.txt")

old.rename(new)

Example – File Organizer Using Pathlib

Let’s create a File Organizer Script that automatically moves files into folders based on their extensions.

Project Description

You have a messy Downloads folder — PDFs, images, Excel files, and ZIPs everywhere.
Let’s organize them automatically using Pathlib!

Full Code

from pathlib import Path
import shutil

def organize_files(folder_path):
    path = Path(folder_path)

    for file in path.iterdir():
        if file.is_file():
            ext = file.suffix.lower()

            if ext in [".jpg", ".png", ".jpeg"]:
                target = path / "Images"
            elif ext in [".pdf"]:
                target = path / "PDFs"
            elif ext in [".xlsx", ".csv"]:
                target = path / "Spreadsheets"
            elif ext in [".zip", ".rar"]:
                target = path / "Archives"
            else:
                target = path / "Others"

            target.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
            shutil.move(str(file), str(target / file.name))
            print(f"Moved: {file.name} → {target}")

folder = input("Enter folder path to organize: ")
organize_files(folder)

from pathlib import Path
import shutil

def organize_files(folder_path):
    path = Path(folder_path)

    for file in path.iterdir():
        if file.is_file():
            ext = file.suffix.lower()

            if ext in [".jpg", ".png", ".jpeg"]:
                target = path / "Images"
            elif ext in [".pdf"]:
                target = path / "PDFs"
            elif ext in [".xlsx", ".csv"]:
                target = path / "Spreadsheets"
            elif ext in [".zip", ".rar"]:
                target = path / "Archives"
            else:
                target = path / "Others"

            target.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
            shutil.move(str(file), str(target / file.name))
            print(f"Moved: {file.name} → {target}")

folder = input("Enter folder path to organize: ")
organize_files(folder)

How It Works

Iterate through all files using Path.iterdir().
Check file extensions using .suffix.
Create target folders (Images, PDFs, etc.) dynamically.
Move files using shutil.move().
Print progress as files are moved.

Advantages of Pathlib

✅ Cross-platform compatibility
✅ Cleaner and more readable syntax
✅ Integrated file handling (read/write)
✅ Easy navigation and pattern matching

Bonus: Common Pathlib + Shutil Combo

Task	Code
Copy a file	`shutil.copy(src, dst)`
Move a file	`shutil.move(src, dst)`
Delete folder	`shutil.rmtree(folder_path)`
Get file size	`file.stat().st_size`

Final Thoughts

The Pathlib module is a must-learn for every Python developer.
It simplifies file operations, improves code readability, and reduces errors.

By mastering Pathlib, you’ll make your scripts cleaner, safer, and more powerful — especially when automating file tasks or building real-world tools.

What’s Next?

In the next post, we’ll learn about the Regular Expressions in Python

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