How to check if a File is Empty in Python

# Table of Contents

1. Check if a file is empty in Python
2. Check if a file is empty using os.path.getsize()
3. Check if a file is empty using pathlib.path()

# Check if a file is empty in Python

To check if a file is empty:

1. Use the os.stat() method to get the status of the file.
2. Use the st_size attribute to get the size of the file in bytes.
3. If the size of the file is 0 bytes, then the file is empty.

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import os

# ✅ with relative path

if os.stat('example.txt').st_size == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is not empty')

# ---------------------------------------------

# ✅ with absolute path

if os.stat(
  '/home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz_python/example.txt'
).st_size == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is not empty')

We used the os.stat() method to get the status of a file.

The method can be passed a relative path or an absolute path to the file.

The os.stat() method returns a stat_result object representing the status of the given file.

The st_size attribute of the object returns the size of the file in bytes.

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import os

if os.stat('example.txt').st_size == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is not empty')

# Checking if a file is NOT empty

You can use the not equals != operator if you need to check if the file is not empty.

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import os

if os.stat('example.txt').st_size != 0:
    print('The file is NOT empty')

The method will raise a FileNotFoundError exception if the specified file doesn't exist.

# Handling a case where the file doesn't exist

You can use a try/except statement if you need to handle the error.

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import os

try:
    if os.stat('not-found.txt').st_size == 0:
        print('The file is empty')
except FileNotFoundError:
    # 👇️ this runs
    print('The specified file does NOT exist')

The specified file doesn't exist, so a FileNotFoundError exception is raised and is then handled by the except block.

# Check if a file is empty using os.path.getsize()

Alternatively, you can use the os.path.getsize() method.

If the os.path.getsize() method returns 0, then the file has a size of 0 bytes and is empty.

Copied!
import os

# 👇️ with relative path

if os.path.getsize('example.txt') == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is NOT empty')

# ---------------------------------------------

# 👇️ with absolute path

if os.path.getsize(
        '/home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz_python/example.txt'
) == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is NOT empty')

The os.path.getsize() method takes a path and returns the size of the path in bytes.

If the file has a size of 0 bytes, then it's empty.

# Handling a case where the specified file doesn't exist

The method raises an OSError exception if the specified file doesn't exist or is inaccessible.

Use a try/except statement if you need to handle the error.

Copied!
import os

try:
    if os.path.getsize('not-found.txt') == 0:
        print('The file is empty')
except OSError:
    # 👇️ this runs
    print('The specified file does NOT exist')

The given path doesn't exist, so an OSError exception is raised and is then handled by the except block.

Alternatively, you can check if the file exists using the os.path.exists() method.

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import os

my_path = '/home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz_python/example.txt'

if os.path.exists(my_path) and os.path.getsize(my_path) == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file does NOT exist or is not empty')

Alternatively, you can use the pathlib.Path class.

# Check if a file is empty using pathlib.path()

This is a four-step process:

1. Instantiate the pathlib.Path() class to create a Path object.
2. Use the stat() method to get a stat_result object.
3. Use the st_size attribute to get the file's size.
4. If the file's size is 0 bytes, then it's empty.

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import pathlib

my_path = pathlib.Path(
  '/home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz_python/example.txt'
)

if my_path.stat().st_size == 0:
    print('The file is empty')
else:
    print('The file is NOT empty')

The pathlib.Path class is used to create a PosixPath or a WindowsPath object depending on your operating system.

The Path.stat() method returns a stat_result object just like the one from the os.stat() method.

The object has a st_size attribute that returns the size of the file in bytes.

# Handling a case where the file doesn't exist

If the specified path doesn't exist, a FileNotFoundError exception is raised.

You can use a try/except block if you need to handle the error.

Copied!
import pathlib

my_path = pathlib.Path(
    '/home/borislav/Desktop/bobbyhadz_python/example.txt'
)

try:
    if my_path.stat().st_size == 0:
        print('The file is empty')
    else:
        print('The file is NOT empty')
except FileNotFoundError:
    print('The file does NOT exist')

Which approach you pick is a matter of personal preference. They all get the file's size.

If the file has a size of 0 bytes, then it's empty, otherwise, it isn't empty.

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