In Java, we can use Files.exists(path) to test whether a file exists. The path can be a file or a directory. It is better to combine with !Files.isDirectory(path) to ensure the existing file is not a directory.
Path path = Paths.get("/home/mkyong/test/test.log");
// file exists and it is not a directory
if(Files.exists(path) && !Files.isDirectory(path)) {
System.out.println("File exists!");
}
1. Files.exists(path) (NIO)
This example uses Files.exists(path) to test whether a file exists.
package com.mkyong.io.file;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class FileExist {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Path path = Paths.get("/home/mkyong/test/test.log");
// check exists for file and directory
if (Files.exists(path)) {
if (Files.isRegularFile(path)) {
System.out.println("File exists!");
}
if (Files.isDirectory(path)) {
System.out.println("File exists, but it is a directory.");
}
} else {
System.out.println("File doesn't exist");
}
}
}
1.2 If the file is a symbolic link or soft link, the Files.exists will follow the link by default. The Files.exists takes two arguments, we can pass a second LinkOption.NOFOLLOW_LINKS argument to tell the method stop to follow the symbolic link.
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.LinkOption;
// do not follow symbolic link
if(Files.exists(path, LinkOption.NOFOLLOW_LINKS)){
//...
}
1.3 There is a Files.notExists() to test the non-exists file.
if(Files.notExists(path)){
System.out.println("File doesn't exist");
}
2. File.exists (Legacy IO)
The legacy IO java.io.File has a similar File.exists() to test whether a file or directory exists, but it has no support for symbolic links.
package com.mkyong.io.file;
import java.io.File;
public class FileExist2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
File file = new File("/home/mkyong/test/");
if(file.exists() && !file.isDirectory()){
System.out.println("File exists!");
}else{
System.out.println("File doesn't exist");
}
}
}
Download Source Code
$ git clone https://github.com/mkyong/core-java
$ cd java-io
This wont always work. f.exist also returns true when it’s a directory
Try this
if(Files.exists(path) && !Files.isDirectory(path))What if the file is remote? The above code snippet may fail
If the remote is a web server, we can send an HTTP request and check the return code to test if the file exists.
How to validate for multiple files exists in directory?
Put the multiple files in an array and loop test it.
How to load a file dynamically without giving i’ts path? Can you please share the sample code
i need to delete a record from text file in java
In my C folder I made a file called ali.txt.
File f = new File(“c:\ali.txt”);
if(f.exists()){
System.out.println(“File existed”);
}else{
System.out.println(“File not found!”);
}
But it gives me File not found.
Sorry, unable to simulate it, try putting the file in another subfolder, for example, c:\test\ali.txt , I’m not sure about this. Maybe your root c drive has strict security?
Can anyone help me to write a code for finding whether a new image file is added to a specified folder. And if a new file is found execute an action in java
@Rajeev You are wrong. After File file = new File(PATH); the file is not yet written to the filesystem.
Hi mkyong is it possible to determine whether a file is exist in different server file system
@mkyong Thanks for the good work! 🙂
Here is the right solution:
if (new File(“/Path/To/File/YourFileName.txt”).exists()){
…
}
If you are doing …
File f = new File(“c:\\mkyong.txt”);
and then checking the existence, it will always returns true because you are checking the existence after creating the file.
No, the legacy IO
new File(“c:\\mkyong.txt”)will NOT create a file.@Piyush – If the file is remote you wouldn’t be telling the program to look for the file in the root of C:
You just saved me a headache!!