class Solution:
    def simplifyPath(self, path):
        
        stack = []
        i = 0 
        temp = []  # for accumulating sub path characters like "foo/home". it stores foo and home

        while i < len(path):
            # if we have perviously accumulated path push it to the stack
            if path[i] == "/" and len(temp) > 0:
                stack.append(''.join(temp))
                temp = []

            # ".." case. pop the previous element
            elif path[i] == "." and len(stack) > 0 and stack[-1] == '.':
                stack.pop()
                if len(stack) > 0:
                    stack.pop()

            # "/." case. pop the "."
            elif path[i] == "/" and len(stack) > 0 and stack[-1] == '.':
                stack.pop()

            # accumulate anything not ". or /"
            elif path[i] != '/' and path[i] != '.':
                temp.append(path[i])

            # "." case push the "."
            elif path[i] == '.':
                stack.append(path[i])

            
            i += 1

        # left over path to be appended
        if len(temp) > 0:
            stack.append(''.join(temp))

        # last char is a . just remove it 
        elif len(stack) > 0 and stack[-1] == '.':
            stack.pop()
            
        return '/' + '/'.join(stack)