Path relativize() method in Java with Examples

Last Updated : 28 Jul, 2019

The relativize(Path other) method of java.nio.file.Path used to create a relative path between this path and a given path as a parameter.
Relativization is the inverse of resolution. This method creates a relative path that when resolved against this path object, yields a path that helps us to locate the same file as the given path.

For example, if this path is “/dir1/dir2” and the given path as a parameter is “/dir1/dir2/dir3/file1” then this method will construct a relative path “dir3/file1”. Where this path and the given path do not have a root component, then a relative path can be constructed.

If anyone of the paths has a root component then the relative path cannot be constructed. When both paths have a root component then it is implementation-dependent if a relative path can be constructed. If this path and the given path are equal then an empty path is returned.

Syntax:

Path relativize(Path other)

Parameters: This method accepts a one parameter other which is the the path to relativize against this path.

Return value: This method returns the resulting relative path, or an empty path if both paths are equal.

Exception: This method throws IllegalArgumentException if other is not a Path that can be relativized against this path.

Below programs illustrate relativize() method:
Program 1:

// Java program to demonstrate 
// java.nio.file.Path.relativize() method 
  
import java.nio.file.Path; 
import java.nio.file.Paths; 
public class GFG { 
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    { 
  
        // create objects of Path 
        Path path 
            = Paths.get("D:\\eclipse\\p2"
                        + "\\org\\eclipse"); 
        Path passedPath 
            = Paths.get("D:\\eclipse\\p2"
                        + "\\org\\eclipse\\equinox\\p2\\core"
                        + "\\cache\\binary"); 
  
        // print paths 
        System.out.println("This Path:"
                           + path); 
        System.out.println("Given Path:"
                           + passedPath); 
  
        // call relativize() to create 
        // a relative path 
        Path relativize 
            = path.relativize(passedPath); 
  
        // print result 
        System.out.println("Relative Path: "
                           + relativize); 
    } 
} 

Output:

Program 2:

// Java program to demonstrate 
// java.nio.file.Path.relativize() method 
  
import java.nio.file.Path; 
import java.nio.file.Paths; 
public class GFG { 
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    { 
  
        // create objects of Path 
        Path path 
            = Paths.get("\\nEclipseWork"); 
        Path passedPath 
            = Paths.get("\\nEclipseWork\\GFG"
                        + "\\bin\\defaultpackage"); 
  
        // print paths 
        System.out.println("This Path:"
                           + path); 
        System.out.println("Given Path:"
                           + passedPath); 
  
        // call relativize() 
        // to create a relative path 
        Path relativize 
            = path.relativize(passedPath); 
  
        // print result 
        System.out.println("Relative Path: "
                           + relativize); 
    } 
} 

Output:

References: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/10/docs/api/java/nio/file/Path.html#relativize(java.nio.file.Path)

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