mkdir and rmdir

Learn directory management with mkdir and rmdir.

Create a folder with mkdir

You create a folder with the p.mkdir() method. If the folder already exists, a FileExistsError is raised; to avoid this you can use p.mkdir(exist_ok=True). Then an existing folder is silently kept.

To create nested folders you use p.mkdir(parents=True); this also creates intermediate folders. For example Path("a/b/c").mkdir(parents=True) creates a, a/b and a/b/c in turn.

Exercise Create a folder, check and remove

Start with from pathlib import Path. Create a path object with d = Path("new_folder"). Create the folder with d.mkdir(). Print whether it's a folder with print(d.is_dir()). Then remove it with d.rmdir() and print its existence with print(d.exists()).

Show example solution

# Import the Path class
from pathlib import Path
# Create the d path object, make the folder with mkdir
d = Path("new_folder")
d.mkdir()
# Check with is_dir, remove with rmdir, print exists
print(d.is_dir())
d.rmdir()
print(d.exists())

Removing a folder with rmdir

You remove a folder with the p.rmdir() method. If the folder isn't empty, an OSError is raised; you must clear it first. This is a safety measure against accidental data loss.

To delete a folder with files inside you use shutil.rmtree(p); this removes it along with all its contents. rmdir is only for empty folders; this restriction is intentional design.

Test yourself

What does mkdir() do on an existing folder?
- Moves to the parent
- Silently passes
- Empties the folder
- Raises FileExistsError
Show answer

Raises FileExistsError — By default it errors; with exist_ok=True it passes silently.
Match the folder methods

mkdir

Creates a folder
rmdir

Removes an empty folder
exist_ok

Passes if it exists
parents

Creates nested folders

The parents parameter

p = Path("a/b/c")
p.mkdir(____=True)

Show answer

p = Path("a/b/c")
p.mkdir(parents=True)

Next lesson: glob and rglob

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