Python 3.3+Exceptionsexception

FileExistsError

built-in exceptions

Trying to create a file or directory that already exists (a subclass of OSError).

Syntax

raise FileExistsError

You get this from os.mkdir(), Path.mkdir(), or open() in 'x' mode — places where you demand that the target be brand new. The instinct to guard with os.path.exists() first is fragile: the file can appear between the check and the call, so either catch the exception or pass exist_ok=True to mkdir()/makedirs().

Examples

try:
    raise FileExistsError
except FileExistsError as e:
    print(type(e).__name__)   # → FileExistsError

See also

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