Python Delete File

Introduction

Deleting files in Python can be done easily using the os module, which provides a portable way of using operating system-dependent functionality. The os.remove() function is used to delete files, and the os.rmdir() or shutil.rmtree() functions are used to delete directories.

Using os.remove()

The os.remove() function deletes a file. It takes one argument: the path to the file to be deleted.

Syntax

import os

os.remove('file_name.txt')

Example

Let’s say you have a file named example.txt and you want to delete it.

import os

# Deleting the file
try:
    os.remove('example.txt')
    print("File deleted successfully.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The file does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

Output

File deleted successfully.

Handling Exceptions

It’s important to handle exceptions that may occur during the deletion process, such as file not found errors or permission errors.

Example

import os

try:
    os.remove('example.txt')
    print("File deleted successfully.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The file does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

Output

The file does not exist.

Deleting Directories

To delete directories, you can use os.rmdir() for empty directories and shutil.rmtree() for non-empty directories.

Using os.rmdir() for Empty Directories

The os.rmdir() function deletes an empty directory.

Example

import os

try:
    os.rmdir('empty_directory')
    print("Directory deleted successfully.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The directory does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied.")
except OSError as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Output

Directory deleted successfully.

Using shutil.rmtree() for Non-Empty Directories

The shutil.rmtree() function deletes a directory and all its contents.

Example

import shutil

try:
    shutil.rmtree('non_empty_directory')
    print("Directory and all its contents deleted successfully.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The directory does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

Output

Directory and all its contents deleted successfully.

Using pathlib for Deleting Files

The pathlib module in Python 3.4+ provides an object-oriented approach for handling filesystem paths. It can also be used to delete files and directories.

Example

from pathlib import Path

# Define the path
file_path = Path('example.txt')

# Deleting the file
try:
    file_path.unlink()
    print("File deleted successfully.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("The file does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

Output

File deleted successfully.

Conclusion

Deleting files in Python is a simple and efficient process using the os module or the pathlib module. For directories, you can use os.rmdir() for empty directories and shutil.rmtree() for non-empty directories. By handling exceptions, you can ensure that your program responds appropriately to errors during the deletion process. Understanding how to delete files and directories is essential for file management tasks in Python applications.