betterpath 0.2.2

os.path

The venerable champ, os.path has been the cause of (and solution to) most of Python’s path problems over the years.

pathlib

pathlib hopes to carve a path towards greatness through PEP 428.

The Old Way

def save(base, fragments, data):
    # `fragments` could contain unsafe paths!
    if ".." in fragments or "." in fragments:
        raise ValueError("Unsafe paths!")
    path = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(base), os.sep.join(fragments))
    # Alternatively: path = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(base), *fragments)
    # I hope that this doesn't fail mid-write! Also, did the directories
    # exist? I think so, yes.
    with open(path, "wb") as handle:
        handle.write(data)

The New Way

def save(base, fragments, data):
    path = base.descendant(fragments)
    path.parent().makeDirs()
    path.setContent(data)