How can I delete a file or folder in Python?

To delete files and folders in Python, you can use the os, shutil, and pathlib modules. Below is a detailed guide with examples covering various scenarios, error handling, and best practices.

Table of Contents

1. Delete a File

• Using os.remove()
• Using pathlib.Path.unlink()

1. Delete an Empty Folder

• Using os.rmdir()
• Using pathlib.Path.rmdir()

1. Delete a Non-Empty Folder (Recursive)

• Using shutil.rmtree()

1. Advanced Examples

• Delete Multiple Files
• Delete Files Matching a Pattern (e.g., .tmp)
• Handle Read-Only Files (Windows)

1. Error Handling

• Common Exceptions
• Cross-Platform Considerations

1. Third-Party Options

• Send to Trash/Recycle Bin

1. Delete a File

Method 1: os.remove()

import os

file_path = "example.txt"

try:
    os.remove(file_path)
    print(f"✅ File '{file_path}' deleted.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print(f"⚠️ File '{file_path}' does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print(f"❌ Permission denied for '{file_path}'. File may be in use or read-only.")

Method 2: pathlib.Path.unlink() (Modern Approach)

from pathlib import Path

file = Path("example.txt")

if file.exists():
    try:
        file.unlink()  # Delete the file
        print(f"✅ File '{file}' deleted.")
    except PermissionError:
        print(f"❌ Permission denied for '{file}'.")
else:
    print(f"⚠️ File '{file}' does not exist.")

2. Delete an Empty Folder

Method 1: os.rmdir()

import os

folder_path = "empty_folder"

try:
    os.rmdir(folder_path)
    print(f"✅ Folder '{folder_path}' deleted.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print(f"⚠️ Folder '{folder_path}' does not exist.")
except OSError as e:
    print(f"❌ Error: {e}. Folder may not be empty.")

Method 2: pathlib.Path.rmdir()

from pathlib import Path

folder = Path("empty_folder")

if folder.exists() and folder.is_dir():
    try:
        folder.rmdir()
        print(f"✅ Folder '{folder}' deleted.")
    except OSError as e:
        print(f"❌ Error: {e}.")
else:
    print(f"⚠️ Folder '{folder}' does not exist.")

3. Delete a Non-Empty Folder (Recursive Deletion)

Use shutil.rmtree() to delete a folder and all its contents:

import shutil

folder_path = "non_empty_folder"

try:
    shutil.rmtree(folder_path)
    print(f"✅ Folder '{folder_path}' and all contents deleted.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print(f"⚠️ Folder '{folder_path}' does not exist.")
except PermissionError:
    print(f"❌ Permission denied for '{folder_path}'.")

4. Advanced Examples

Delete Multiple Files

import os

files_to_delete = ["file1.txt", "file2.txt", "file3.txt"]

for file in files_to_delete:
    try:
        os.remove(file)
        print(f"✅ Deleted '{file}'.")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"❌ Failed to delete '{file}': {e}")

Delete Files Matching a Pattern (e.g., .tmp)

from glob import glob
import os

for file in glob("*.tmp"):
    try:
        os.remove(file)
        print(f"✅ Deleted temporary file: {file}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"❌ Failed to delete {file}: {e}")

Handle Read-Only Files (Windows)

import os
import stat

file_path = "read_only_file.txt"

try:
    # Remove read-only attribute on Windows
    os.chmod(file_path, stat.S_IWRITE)  # Make file writable
    os.remove(file_path)
    print(f"✅ Deleted read-only file: {file_path}")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error: {e}")

5. Error Handling

Common Exceptions

Exception	Cause
FileNotFoundError	File/folder does not exist.
PermissionError	Insufficient permissions or file/folder is in use (Windows/Linux).
OSError	Folder not empty (for os.rmdir()).

Cross-Platform Tips

• Windows: Files may be locked by other processes (e.g., open in an editor).
• Linux/macOS: Check user permissions with os.access(path, os.W_OK).

6. Third-Party Options

Send to Trash/Recycle Bin

Use the send2trash library for safer deletions (files go to trash instead of being permanently deleted):

# Install first: pip install send2trash
from send2trash import send2trash

file_path = "important_document.txt"

try:
    send2trash(file_path)
    print(f"✅ Moved '{file_path}' to trash.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error: {e}")

Summary Table

Action	Method	Module	Notes
Delete a file	os.remove()	os	Raises FileNotFoundError if missing
Delete a file (modern)	Path.unlink()	pathlib	Object-oriented approach
Delete empty folder	os.rmdir()	os	Fails if folder is not empty
Delete empty folder	Path.rmdir()	pathlib	Requires folder to exist and be empty
Delete non-empty folder	shutil.rmtree()	shutil	Permanent deletion
Safe deletion (trash)	send2trash()	send2trash	Requires third-party library

Best Practices

1. Check existence before deletion (optional, but useful for feedback).
2. Handle exceptions to avoid crashes (e.g., files in use, permissions).
3. Test paths to prevent accidental deletion (e.g., avoid shutil.rmtree("/")).
4. Prefer pathlib for modern, readable code (Python 3.4+).

By following these methods, you can safely manage file and folder deletions in Python!