How can I write text to a new file without replacing an existing sample?

Use Python’s exclusive creation mode, 'x', rather than 'w'. The 'w' mode truncates an existing file; 'x' creates a file only if that path is not already in use and fails if it exists. [S1] That means a mistaken choice of an occupied filename stops the write instead of silently replacing its contents.

For example, assuming your intended folder is /home/you/project/output, and you want a new file named draft.txt there:

output_path = "/home/you/project/output/draft.txt"
text = "First line of the new draft.\nSecond line.\n"

with open(output_path, "x", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    file.write(text)

Replace the example path and text with your own. The path can be absolute or relative to the program’s current working directory. [S1] An absolute path makes the chosen location explicit; if you use a relative path, be sure you know what folder it is relative to. The with block closes the file after writing. [S1]

With mode 'x', Python refuses to create a file at a path that already exists. [S1] For a safety-focused script, let that failure stop the write and decide what to do next; do not switch automatically to 'w', since that mode can truncate the existing file. [S1]

A separate “does this path exist?” check before opening is not needed for the overwrite safeguard: the exclusive creation operation itself is the key. If you want to try another name, choose a new path deliberately and attempt exclusive creation again. Avoid treating a preliminary check as permission to overwrite—the final write should still use 'x'. The documentation establishes the behavior of these open modes; it does not prescribe how your application should report or recover from a conflict.

Specify encoding="utf-8" when opening in text mode, as in the example. Python’s documentation allows an explicit text encoding and shows UTF-8 as an example. [S1] After the write has finished, read the file back using the same encoding and compare its contents with the original text:

with open(output_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    saved_text = file.read()

if saved_text != text:
    print("Check failed: the saved text differs from the intended text.")
else:
    print("Check passed: the saved text matches.")

This confirms that the text read from that path matches the string used in this example. The documentation recommends checking existence or reading back to verify output. [S1] This comparison does not establish that the file is backed up, that another program can use it, or that a different path was not chosen by mistake. Review the path as well.

Here is a compact pattern. Replace the placeholder path with the intended file path before running the script:

output_path = "[chosen folder]/[new filename].txt"
text = "[text to save]"

with open(output_path, "x", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    file.write(text)

with open(output_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
    saved_text = file.read()

if saved_text != text:
    print("Check failed: review the file and path.")
else:
    print("Check passed: contents match.")

The first open is the overwrite protection: if the path already exists, exclusive creation fails instead of replacing it. [S1] The second open checks the saved text by reading it back. [S1] This example does not choose a unique name for you or handle every possible file error; keep the chosen path clear, and respond to a creation failure by reviewing the path rather than changing the mode to 'w'.