The os.path.join() method is a versatile tool that can be used in a number of ways. In this blog post, we will look at three examples of how to use the os.path.join() method in Python. We will start with a basic example of how to join two paths together, and then move on to more complex examples that involve combining multiple paths and file names. Let’s get started!
Understanding Python OS Path Join Method
- The os.path.join() method combines components in a pathname to create a full pathname.
- The os.path.join() method makes it easy to combine two or more pathname components.
- The os.path.join() automatically adds forward slashes (“/”) into the pathname when needed.
- If a path component represents an absolute path, then all previous components joined are discarded and joining continues from the absolute path component.
- If the last path component to be joined is empty then a directory separator (‘/’) is put at the end.
os.path.join Syntax
os.path.join(path, *paths)
Parameters
- path: A path-like object representing a file system path.
- *path: A path-like object representing a file system path. It represents the path components to be joined.
Return Value
The os.path.join() method returns a string that represents the concatenated path components.
os.path.join Example 1: Joining Two Paths Together
The os.path.join() method can be used to join two paths together into a single string. The following code will create a new path that is the combination of “/home” and “howtouselinux”:
>>> print(os.path.join(“/home”, “howotouselinux”))
/home/howotouselinux
os.path.join Example 2: Combining Multiple Paths and File Names
The os.path.join() method can also be used to combine multiple paths and file names into a single string. The following code will create a new path that is the combination of “/home”, “howtouselinux”, and “test.txt”:
>>> print(os.path.join(“/home”, “howotouselinux”,”test.txt”))
/home/howotouselinux/test.txt
>>> print(os.path.join(“/home”, “howotouselinux/test”,”test.txt”))
/home/howotouselinux/test/test.txt
os.path.join Example 3: Combining Multiple Paths and absolute path
If a path component represents an absolute path, then all previous components joined are discarded and joining continues from the absolute path component.
>>> print(os.path.join(“/home”, “howotouselinux”,”/test.txt”))
/test.txt
os.path.join Example 4: Combining Multiple Paths and ”
If the last path component to be joined is empty then a directory separator (‘/’) is put at the end.
>>> print(os.path.join(“/home”, “howotouselinux”,””))
/home/howotouselinux/
os.path.join Example 5: os.path.join + os.path.split
>>> p = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), ‘foo.txt’)
>>> p
‘/Users/csaftoiu/tmp/foo.txt’
>>> os.path.dirname(p)
‘/Users/csaftoiu/tmp’
>>> os.path.basename(p)
‘foo.txt’
>>> os.path.split(os.getcwd())
(‘/Users/csaftoiu/tmp’, ‘foo.txt’)
>>> os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(p))
(‘foo’, ‘.txt’)