What is the difference between an absolute and a relative path?

The difference between an absolute path and a relative path lies in how they specify the location of a file or directory in the file system:

1. Absolute Path:

   • An absolute path provides the complete address to a file or directory, starting from the root directory (/).
   • It does not depend on the current working directory.
   • Example: /home/labex/project/file.txt is an absolute path that points directly to file.txt from the root.

2. Relative Path:

   • A relative path specifies the location of a file or directory in relation to the current working directory.
   • It does not start from the root and can change based on where you are in the file system.
   • Example: If your current directory is /home/labex, then project/file.txt is a relative path to file.txt within the project directory.

In summary, absolute paths are complete and fixed, while relative paths are context-dependent and shorter.