Python | os.unlink() method

OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system dependent functionality.

All functions in os module raise OSError in the case of invalid or inaccessible file names and paths, or other arguments that have the correct type, but are not accepted by the operating system.

os.unlink() method in Python is used to remove or delete a file path. This method is semantically identical to os.remove() method.
Like os.remove(), method it also can not remove or delete a directory. If the given path is a directory then IsADirectoryError exception will be raised by this method. os.rmdir() method can be used to remove a directory.

Syntax: os.unlink(path, *, dir_fd = None)

Parameter:
path: A path-like object representing a file path. A path-like object is either a string or bytes object representing a path.
dir_fd (optional) : A file descriptor referring to a directory. The default value of this parameter is None.
If the specified path is absolute then dir_fd is ignored.

Note: The ‘*’ in parameter list indicates that all following parameters (Here in our case ‘dir_fd’) are keyword-only parameters and they can be provided using their name, not as positional parameter.

Return Type: This method does not return any value.

Code #1: Use of os.unlink() method to remove or delete a file path

# Python program to explain os.unlink() method

# importing os module
import os

# File Path
path = "/home / ihritik / Documents / file1.txt"


# Remove the file path
# using os.unlink() method
os.unlink(path)

print("File path has been removed successfully")

Output:

File path has been removed successfully

Code #2: If the given path is a directory

# Python program to explain os.unlink() method

# importing os module
import os

# Path
path = "/home / User / Documents / ihritik"


# if the given path
# is a directory then
# 'IsADirectoryError' exception
# will raised

# Remove the given
# file path
os.unlink(path)
print("File path has been removed successfully")

# Similarly, if the specified
# file path does not exists or
# is invalid then corresponding
# OSError will be raised

Output:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "unlink.py", line 17, in 
    os.unlink(path)
IsADirectoryError: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/home/User/Documents/ihritik'

Code #3: Handling errors while using os.unlink() method

# Python program to explain os.unlink() method

# importing os module
import os

# path
path = '/home / User / Documents / ihritik'

# Try Removing the given
# file path using
# try and except block
try:
    os.unlink(path)
    print("File path removed successfully")

# If the given path is
# a directory
except IsADirectoryError:
    print("The given path is a directory")

# If path is invalid
# or does not exists
except FileNotFoundError :
    print("No such file or directory found.")

# If the process has not
# the permission to remove
# the given file path
except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied")

# For other errors
except :
    print("File can not be removed")

Output:

The given path is a directory

Reference: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html