1let documentsURL = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
2let fileURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("data.json")
3
4// WRONG: passing a URL description as the path
5let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: fileURL.absoluteString)
6// "file:///var/mobile/.../data.json" — contains "file://" prefix → false
7
8// CORRECT: use .path to get the POSIX path
9let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: fileURL.path)
10// "/var/mobile/.../data.json" — correct path → true (if file exists)

1// WRONG: constructing path manually
2let path = "MyApp.app/Resources/config.json"
3FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: path)  // false
4
5// CORRECT: use Bundle to get the full path
6if let path = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "config", ofType: "json") {
7    let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: path)
8    print("Exists: \(exists)")  // true
9} else {
10    print("Resource not found in bundle")
11}
12
13// Or use URL
14if let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "config", withExtension: "json") {
15    let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: url.path)
16    print("Exists: \(exists)")
17}

1// Document directory (user data, backed up)
2let docs = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
3
4// Caches directory (temporary data, not backed up)
5let caches = FileManager.default.urls(for: .cachesDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
6
7// Temporary directory
8let tmp = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
9
10// Check a file in documents
11let filePath = docs.appendingPathComponent("user_data.json").path
12if FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: filePath) {
13    print("File found")
14} else {
15    print("File not found at: \(filePath)")
16}

1func debugFileExists(at path: String) {
2    let fm = FileManager.default
3
4    print("Checking path: \(path)")
5    print("Path contains 'file://': \(path.contains("file://"))")
6    print("File exists: \(fm.fileExists(atPath: path))")
7
8    // Check parent directory
9    let parent = (path as NSString).deletingLastPathComponent
10    print("Parent exists: \(fm.fileExists(atPath: parent))")
11
12    // List parent directory contents
13    if let contents = try? fm.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: parent) {
14        print("Parent contents: \(contents)")
15    }
16
17    // Check if it's a directory
18    var isDir: ObjCBool = false
19    let exists = fm.fileExists(atPath: path, isDirectory: &isDir)
20    print("Exists: \(exists), Is directory: \(isDir.boolValue)")
21}

1let docs = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
2let fileURL = docs.appendingPathComponent("test.txt")
3
4// Write
5try "Hello, World!".write(to: fileURL, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
6
7// Verify it was written
8let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: fileURL.path)
9print("Written and exists: \(exists)")  // true
10
11// Read back
12let content = try String(contentsOf: fileURL, encoding: .utf8)
13print(content)  // "Hello, World!"

1// macOS sandbox restricts access to user-selected files only
2// Use NSOpenPanel to get permission
3let panel = NSOpenPanel()
4panel.canChooseFiles = true
5panel.begin { response in
6    if response == .OK, let url = panel.url {
7        // Now you have permission to access this path
8        let exists = FileManager.default.fileExists(atPath: url.path)
9        print("Selected file exists: \(exists)")
10    }
11}

1let fileURL = docs.appendingPathComponent("data.json")
2
3// Check existence using URL (avoids path confusion)
4let exists = (try? fileURL.checkResourceIsReachable()) ?? false
5
6// Or use ResourceValues
7let values = try fileURL.resourceValues(forKeys: [.isRegularFileKey])
8if values.isRegularFile == true {
9    print("It's a regular file")
10}