Python Pathlib.suffix Explained | File Extensions

Python's pathlib module simplifies file path manipulation. One of its useful methods is suffix. It helps extract file extensions from paths.

This article explains how to use suffix effectively. You'll also see examples and learn its importance in file handling.

What is pathlib.suffix?

The suffix method returns the file extension of a path. It is part of the Path class in the pathlib module.

For example, if the file path is document.txt, suffix will return .txt.

Syntax of pathlib.suffix

The syntax is simple:

    Path(file_path).suffix
    

Here, file_path is the path to the file. The method returns the file extension as a string.

Example of pathlib.suffix

Let's see an example:

    from pathlib import Path

    file_path = Path("example/document.txt")
    print(file_path.suffix)
    

Output:

    .txt
    

This code extracts the file extension .txt from the path.

Practical Use Cases

The suffix method is useful in many scenarios. For example, you can filter files by their extensions.

It also helps in renaming files or checking file types before processing.

Filtering Files by Extension

Here's how you can filter files with a specific extension:

    from pathlib import Path

    folder = Path("example")
    txt_files = [file for file in folder.iterdir() if file.suffix == ".txt"]
    print(txt_files)
    

This code lists all .txt files in the example folder.

Checking File Types

You can also check if a file has a specific extension:

    from pathlib import Path

    file_path = Path("example/image.png")
    if file_path.suffix == ".png":
        print("This is a PNG file.")
    

Output:

    This is a PNG file.
    

This ensures the file is processed correctly based on its type.

Related Methods

The pathlib module offers other useful methods. For example, pathlib.stem extracts the file name without the extension.

Similarly, pathlib.name returns the full file name, including the extension.

You can also use pathlib.with_suffix() to change the file extension.

Conclusion

The suffix method in Python's pathlib module is a powerful tool. It simplifies working with file extensions.

Whether you're filtering files or checking their types, suffix makes it easy. Combine it with other pathlib methods for advanced file handling.