What is the difference between an absolute filename and a relative filename

To find the full absolute path of the current directory, use the pwd command. Once you've determined the path to the current directory, the absolute path to the file is the path plus the name of the file.

For example, if in the cgi-bin directory we had a file called "example. When working on a Linux computer used as a web server to show web pages on the Internet. It can be confusing to know what to use for the relative and absolute path. Finally, in this last example, the Internet absolute path is the domain and the web page on that domain. Web developers creating links to other pages can use a relative path if the file their linking from is in the same directory. Creating a link to an absolute path is easy since you are pointing to the Internet URL of the file.

However, to link to that same image file using a relative path, you must follow the steps below. For those who are more visual or need a visual example, everything explained above is also shown in the picture below. If you have a web page running on a Linux server and are confused about the absolute and relative path, see our path differences in Linux section.

Say you were giving directions to a spot. You have two methods you can describe getting to the location:. Both get you to the same location, but the former doesn't always work "take a left, then a right, go through two lights then take another right" wouldn't necessarily work from the next town over, but works from where you stand. That's essentially the difference.

It's actually a simple distinction. A relative file path is going to be a structure based around a root node; and an absolute path is going to be a structure based on a non ambiguous location. That sounds kind of wonky, but it's actually pretty simple. These paths are absolute because they are non ambiguous. Example 1 shows an absolute file path, and example 2 shows an absolute URL. A relative path specifies a location based on some known ahead point of reference.

So in example 1, you know to go up one directory, then down into a directory called script , then to a javascript file. In example two, you are specifing the aspx page contained within the root of your application. So, germane to your specific problem, you want to write a file to a specific absolute path, which means it needs to be a non ambiguous location. An absolute path is the whole path name required to access the location in the file system.

Where as a relative path is in relation to some landmark, usually your main executable files location or the 'start in' location set when you open the program. This is done usually when you don't always know where the file will absolutely be, like which drive letter it will be installed in or which folder it will be under.

However for a good example, if your file came with your program and you know your programs installation structure, you can use relative pathing to find all your files no matter where your program is installed as opposed to abolute pathing where your program would need to be installed in the exact same location each time.

Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Collectives on Stack Overflow. Learn more. What is the difference between an absolute and a relative path? Ask Question. From this understanding, is the relative path for any given file basically the file path beneath the directory you are currently "standing in"? A relative path is a path relative to some working directory the directly you are currently at, for example.

In that sense, a relative path can be interpreted as a series of instructions telling you how to reach the target from your working directory. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Collectives on Stack Overflow. Learn more. Asked 4 years, 1 month ago. Active 4 years, 1 month ago. Viewed 5k times. The lecture slides say: The pathnames described in the previous slides start at the root.

Improve this question. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. You are correct in your assumption.