Python | os.path.samefile() method Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025 Comments Improve Suggest changes 1 Likes Like Report 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. os.path module is sub module of OS module in Python used for common path name manipulation. os.path.samefile() method in Python is used to check whether the given two pathnames refer to the same file or directory or not. This is determined by comparing device number and i-node number of the given paths. This method make use of os.stat() method to get device number and i-node number of the given paths. So, an exception will be raised if somehow an os.stat() call fails on either pathname. Syntax: os.path.samefile(path1, path2) Parameter: path1: A path-like object representing the first file system path. path2: A path-like object representing the second file system path. A path-like object is either a string or bytes object representing a path. Return Type: This method returns a Boolean value of class bool. This method returns True if both path refer to the same file otherwise returns False. Code : Use of os.path.samefile() method to check whether given paths refer to same file or directory. Python3 # Python program to explain os.path.samefile() method # importing os module import os # Path path1 = "/home / ihritik / Documents / file(original).txt" # Create a symbolic link sym_link = "/home / ihritik / Desktop / file(shortcut).txt" os.symlink(path1, sym_link) # Check whether the given # paths refer to the same # file or directory or not areSame = os.path.samefile(path1, sym_link) # Print the result print(areSame) # In above example, sym_link is # a symbolic link which refers # to path1, so os.path.samefile() method # will return True as both refer # to same file # First Path path2 = "/home / ihritik / GeeksForGeeks" # Second path # consider the current working directory # is "/home / ihritik" path3 = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "GeeksForGeeks") # Check whether the given # paths refer to the same # file or directory or not areSame = os.path.samefile(path2, path3) # Print the result print(areSame) Output: True True Reference: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.path.html Create Quiz Comment I ihritik Follow 1 Improve I ihritik Follow 1 Improve Article Tags : Python python-os-module Python OS-path-module Explore Python FundamentalsPython Introduction 2 min read Input and Output in Python 4 min read Python Variables 4 min read Python Operators 4 min read Python Keywords 2 min read Python Data Types 8 min read Conditional Statements in Python 3 min read Loops in Python - For, While and Nested Loops 5 min read Python Functions 5 min read Recursion in Python 4 min read Python Lambda Functions 5 min read Python Data StructuresPython String 5 min read Python Lists 4 min read Python Tuples 4 min read Python Dictionary 3 min read Python Sets 6 min read Python Arrays 7 min read List Comprehension in Python 4 min read Advanced PythonPython OOP Concepts 11 min read Python Exception Handling 5 min read File Handling in Python 4 min read Python Database Tutorial 4 min read Python MongoDB Tutorial 3 min read Python MySQL 9 min read Python Packages 10 min read Python Modules 3 min read Python DSA Libraries 15 min read List of Python GUI Library and Packages 3 min read Data Science with PythonNumPy Tutorial - Python Library 3 min read Pandas Tutorial 4 min read Matplotlib Tutorial 5 min read Python Seaborn Tutorial 3 min read StatsModel Library - Tutorial 3 min read Learning Model Building in Scikit-learn 6 min read TensorFlow Tutorial 2 min read PyTorch Tutorial 6 min read Web Development with PythonFlask Tutorial 8 min read Django Tutorial | Learn Django Framework 7 min read Django ORM - Inserting, Updating & Deleting Data 4 min read Templating With Jinja2 in Flask 6 min read Django Templates 5 min read Build a REST API using Flask - Python 3 min read Building a Simple API with Django REST Framework 3 min read Python PracticePython Quiz 1 min read Python Coding Practice 1 min read Python Interview Questions and Answers 15+ min read Like