diff --git a/base/fs.cpp b/base/fs.cpp
index 29311bda7..7ae6ef69e 100644
--- a/base/fs.cpp
+++ b/base/fs.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // LAF Base Library
-// Copyright (c) 2021-2022 Igara Studio S.A.
+// Copyright (c) 2021-2024 Igara Studio S.A.
 // Copyright (c) 2001-2018 David Capello
 //
 // This file is released under the terms of the MIT license.
@@ -27,16 +27,18 @@
 
 namespace base {
 
+// On Windows we can use \ or / as path separators, but on Unix-like
+// platforms it's just /, as \ can be part of the file name.
 #if LAF_WINDOWS
-  const std::string::value_type path_separator = '\\';
+  const std::string::value_type* path_separators = "\\/";
 #else
-  const std::string::value_type path_separator = '/';
+  const std::string::value_type* path_separators = "/";
 #endif
 
 void make_all_directories(const std::string& path)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> parts;
-  split_string(path, parts, "/\\");
+  split_string(path, parts, path_separators);
 
   std::string intermediate;
   for (const std::string& component : parts) {
@@ -55,31 +57,6 @@ void make_all_directories(const std::string& path)
   }
 }
 
-std::string get_absolute_path(const std::string& filename)
-{
-  std::string fn = filename;
-  if (fn.size() > 2 &&
-#if LAF_WINDOWS
-      fn[1] != ':'
-#else
-      fn[0] != '/'
-#endif
-      ) {
-    fn = base::join_path(base::get_current_path(), fn);
-  }
-  fn = base::get_canonical_path(fn);
-  return fn;
-}
-
-bool is_path_separator(std::string::value_type chr)
-{
-  return (
-#if LAF_WINDOWS
-    chr == '\\' ||
-#endif
-    chr == '/');
-}
-
 std::string get_file_path(const std::string& filename)
 {
   std::string::const_reverse_iterator rit;
@@ -213,10 +190,10 @@ std::string get_file_title_with_path(const std::string& filename)
 std::string get_relative_path(const std::string& filename, const std::string& base_path)
 {
   std::vector<std::string> baseDirs;
-  split_string(base_path, baseDirs, "/\\");
+  split_string(base_path, baseDirs, path_separators);
 
   std::vector<std::string> toParts;
-  split_string(filename, toParts, "/\\");
+  split_string(filename, toParts, path_separators);
 
   // Find the common prefix
   auto itFrom = baseDirs.begin();
@@ -270,19 +247,79 @@ std::string remove_path_separator(const std::string& path)
 
 std::string fix_path_separators(const std::string& filename)
 {
-  std::string result(filename);
-
-  // Replace any separator with the system path separator.
-  std::replace_if(result.begin(), result.end(),
-                  is_path_separator, path_separator);
-
+  std::string result;
+  result.reserve(filename.size());
+  for (auto chr : filename) {
+    if (is_path_separator(chr)) {
+      if (result.empty() || !is_path_separator(result.back()))
+        result.push_back(path_separator);
+    }
+    else
+      result.push_back(chr);
+  }
   return result;
 }
 
-std::string normalize_path(const std::string& filename)
+// It tries to replicate the standard path::lexically_normal()
+// algorithm from https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/filesystem/path
+std::string normalize_path(const std::string& _path)
 {
-  std::string fn = base::get_canonical_path(filename);
-  fn = base::fix_path_separators(fn);
+  // Normal form of an empty path is an empty path.
+  if (_path.empty())
+    return std::string();
+
+  // Replace multiple slashes with a single path_separator.
+  std::string path = fix_path_separators(_path);
+
+  std::string fn;
+  if (!path.empty() && path[0] == path_separator)
+    fn.push_back(path_separator);
+
+  std::vector<std::string> parts;
+  split_string(path, parts, path_separators);
+
+  // Last element generates a final dot or slash in normalized path.
+  bool last_dot = false;
+
+  auto n = int(parts.size());
+  for (int i=0; i<n; ++i) {
+    const auto& part = parts[i];
+
+    // Remove each dot part.
+    if (part == ".") {
+      last_dot = true;
+
+      if (i+1 == n)
+        break;
+
+      fn = join_path(fn, std::string());
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (!part.empty())
+      last_dot = false;
+
+    if (part != ".." && i+1 < n &&
+        parts[i+1] == "..") {
+      // Skip this "part/.."
+      ++i;
+      last_dot = true;
+    }
+    else if (!part.empty()) {
+      fn = join_path(fn, part);
+    }
+    else
+      last_dot = true;
+  }
+  if (last_dot) {
+    if (fn.empty())
+      fn = ".";
+    else if (fn.back() != path_separator &&
+             // Don't include trailing slash for ".." filename
+             get_file_name(fn) != "..") {
+      fn.push_back(path_separator);
+    }
+  }
   return fn;
 }
 
diff --git a/base/fs.h b/base/fs.h
index d031168eb..908a804d9 100644
--- a/base/fs.h
+++ b/base/fs.h
@@ -17,8 +17,14 @@ namespace base {
 
   class Time;
 
-  // Default path separator (on Windows it is '\' and on Unix-like systems it is '/').
-  extern const std::string::value_type path_separator;
+  // Default path separator (on Windows it is '\' and on Unix-like
+  // systems it is '/').
+#if LAF_WINDOWS
+  static constexpr const std::string::value_type path_separator = '\\';
+#else
+  static constexpr const std::string::value_type path_separator = '/';
+#endif
+  extern const std::string::value_type* path_separators;
 
   bool is_file(const std::string& path);
   bool is_directory(const std::string& path);
@@ -48,18 +54,28 @@ namespace base {
   std::string get_lib_app_support_path();
 #endif
 
-  // If the given filename is a relative path, it converts the
-  // filename to an absolute one.
+  // Converts an existing file path to an absolute one, or returns an
+  // empty string if the file doesn't exist. It uses realpath() on
+  // POSIX-like systems and GetFullPathName() on Windows.
   std::string get_canonical_path(const std::string& path);
 
-  // TODO why get_canonical_path() is not enough?
-  std::string get_absolute_path(const std::string& filename);
+  // Returns the absolute path using lexical/string operations, and
+  // get_current_path() when needed. Doesn't require an existing file
+  // in "path". The returned path shouldn't contain "." or ".."
+  // elements (is a normalized path).
+  std::string get_absolute_path(const std::string& path);
 
   paths list_files(const std::string& path);
 
   // Returns true if the given character is a valud path separator
   // (any of '\' or '/' characters).
-  bool is_path_separator(std::string::value_type chr);
+  inline constexpr bool is_path_separator(std::string::value_type chr) {
+    return (
+#if LAF_WINDOWS
+      chr == '\\' ||
+#endif
+      chr == '/');
+  }
 
   // Returns only the path (without the last trailing slash).
   std::string get_file_path(const std::string& filename);
@@ -89,9 +105,9 @@ namespace base {
   // Replaces all separators with the system separator.
   std::string fix_path_separators(const std::string& filename);
 
-  // Calls get_canonical_path() and fix_path_separators() for the
-  // given filename.
-  std::string normalize_path(const std::string& filename);
+  // Remove superfluous path elements ("/../" and "/./") and call
+  // fix_path_separators() for the given path.
+  std::string normalize_path(const std::string& path);
 
   // Returns true if the filename contains one of the specified
   // extensions. The "extensions" parameter must be a set of possible
diff --git a/base/fs_tests.cpp b/base/fs_tests.cpp
index e87dd8f1a..26862ef13 100644
--- a/base/fs_tests.cpp
+++ b/base/fs_tests.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,40 @@
 #include "base/file_content.h"
 #include "base/fs.h"
 
+#include <cstdio>
+
+#if !LAF_MACOS
+  #define COMPARE_WITH_STD_FS 1
+#endif
+
+#if COMPARE_WITH_STD_FS
+  // We cannot use the <filesystem> on macOS yet because we are
+  // targetting macOS 10.9 platform.
+  #include <filesystem>
+  namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+#endif
+
 using namespace base;
 
+#if COMPARE_WITH_STD_FS
+// We want to test against std::filesystem for future replacement of
+// some of our functions with the standard ones.
+TEST(FS, CurrentPath)
+{
+  // Compare with <filesystem>
+  EXPECT_EQ(fs::current_path(), get_current_path());
+  EXPECT_EQ(fs::path::preferred_separator, path_separator);
+}
+#endif
+
+TEST(FS, FixPathSeparators)
+{
+  const std::string sep(1, path_separator);
+  EXPECT_EQ(sep, fix_path_separators("/"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(sep, fix_path_separators("///"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("a"+sep+"b"+sep, fix_path_separators("a///b/"));
+}
+
 TEST(FS, MakeDirectory)
 {
   EXPECT_FALSE(is_directory("a"));
@@ -191,10 +223,85 @@ TEST(FS, GetRelativePath)
 #endif
 }
 
+TEST(FS, GetAbsolutePath)
+{
+  const auto cp = get_current_path();
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(join_path(cp, "a"), get_absolute_path("a"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(join_path(cp, "a"), get_absolute_path("./a"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(cp, get_absolute_path("."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(cp, get_absolute_path("./."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(cp, get_absolute_path("./a/.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(cp, get_absolute_path(".////."));
+
+#if LAF_WINDOWS
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\file", get_absolute_path("C:/path/../file"));
+#else
+  EXPECT_EQ("/file", get_absolute_path("/path/../file"));
+#endif
+}
+
+TEST(FS, GetCanonicalPath)
+{
+  const auto cp = get_current_path();
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("", get_canonical_path("./non_existent_file"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("", get_canonical_path("non_existent_file"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(cp, get_canonical_path("."));
+
+  // Creates a file so get_canonical_path() returns its absolute path
+  write_file_content("_test_existing_file.txt", (uint8_t*)"123", 3);
+  EXPECT_EQ(join_path(cp, "_test_existing_file.txt"),
+            get_canonical_path("_test_existing_file.txt"));
+}
+
+TEST(FS, NormalizePath)
+{
+  const std::string sep(1, path_separator);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("", normalize_path(""));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".", normalize_path("."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".", normalize_path("./."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".", normalize_path(".///./."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".", normalize_path(".///./"));
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("a"+sep, normalize_path("a/."));
+  EXPECT_EQ("a"+sep, normalize_path("a/"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("a", normalize_path("./a"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("a"+sep+"b"+sep+"c", normalize_path("a///b/./c"));
+
+  EXPECT_EQ("..", normalize_path(".."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".."+sep+"..", normalize_path("../.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".."+sep+"..", normalize_path("../../"));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".."+sep+"..", normalize_path(".././.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".."+sep+"..", normalize_path("./.././../."));
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(".", normalize_path("a/.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ("..", normalize_path("../a/.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(".."+sep+"..", normalize_path("../a/../.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ("..", normalize_path("a/../.."));
+  EXPECT_EQ(sep+"b", normalize_path("/a/../b"));
+}
+
+#if COMPARE_WITH_STD_FS
+TEST(FS, CompareNormalizePathWithStd)
+{
+  for (const char* sample : { "", ".", "./.", ".///./.", ".///./",
+                              "a/.", "a/", "./a", "a///b/./c",
+                              "..", "../..",
+                              "../../", ".././..", "./.././../.",
+                              "a/..", "../a/..", "../a/../..", "a/../..",
+                              "/a/../b" }) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(fs::path(sample).lexically_normal(),
+              normalize_path(sample))
+      << "  sample=\"" << sample << "\"";
+  }
+}
+#endif
+
 TEST(FS, JoinPath)
 {
-  std::string sep;
-  sep.push_back(path_separator);
+  const std::string sep(1, path_separator);
 
   EXPECT_EQ("",                         join_path("", ""));
   EXPECT_EQ("fn",                       join_path("", "fn"));
@@ -211,31 +318,31 @@ TEST(FS, JoinPath)
 
 TEST(FS, RemovePathSeparator)
 {
-  EXPECT_EQ("C:/foo",                   remove_path_separator("C:/foo/"));
-  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\main.cpp",        remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\main.cpp"));
-  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\main.cpp",        remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\main.cpp/"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:/foo",            remove_path_separator("C:/foo/"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\main.cpp", remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\main.cpp"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\main.cpp", remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\main.cpp/"));
 
 #if LAF_WINDOWS
-  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo",                  remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo",           remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\"));
 #else
-  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\",                remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\"));
+  EXPECT_EQ("C:\\foo\\",         remove_path_separator("C:\\foo\\"));
 #endif
 }
 
 TEST(FS, HasFileExtension)
 {
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.png", base::paths{"png"}));
-  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.png", base::paths{"pngg"}));
-  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.png", base::paths{"ppng"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.jpeg", base::paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.jpg", base::paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
-  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.ase", base::paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.ase", base::paths{"jpg","jpeg","ase"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.ase", base::paths{"ase","jpg","jpeg"}));
-
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.png", base::paths{"Png"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.pnG", base::paths{"bmp","PNg"}));
-  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.bmP", base::paths{"bMP","PNg"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.png", paths{"png"}));
+  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.png", paths{"pngg"}));
+  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.png", paths{"ppng"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.jpeg", paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.jpg", paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
+  EXPECT_FALSE(has_file_extension("hi.ase", paths{"jpg","jpeg"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.ase", paths{"jpg","jpeg","ase"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.ase", paths{"ase","jpg","jpeg"}));
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.png", paths{"Png"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.pnG", paths{"bmp","PNg"}));
+  EXPECT_TRUE (has_file_extension("hi.bmP", paths{"bMP","PNg"}));
 }
 
 TEST(FS, ReplaceExtension)
@@ -284,13 +391,13 @@ TEST(FS, CopyFiles)
   std::vector<uint8_t> data = { 'H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd' };
   const std::string dst = "_test_copy_.tmp";
 
-  if (base::is_file(dst))
-    base::delete_file(dst);
+  if (is_file(dst))
+    delete_file(dst);
 
-  base::write_file_content("_test_orig_.tmp", data.data(), data.size());
-  base::copy_file("_test_orig_.tmp", dst, true);
+  write_file_content("_test_orig_.tmp", data.data(), data.size());
+  copy_file("_test_orig_.tmp", dst, true);
 
-  EXPECT_EQ(data, base::read_file_content(dst));
+  EXPECT_EQ(data, read_file_content(dst));
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
diff --git a/base/fs_unix.h b/base/fs_unix.h
index e4b0c830e..3d8c2e846 100644
--- a/base/fs_unix.h
+++ b/base/fs_unix.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 // Read LICENSE.txt for more information.
 
 #include "base/file_handle.h"
+#include "base/fs.h"
 #include "base/ints.h"
 #include "base/paths.h"
 #include "base/time.h"
@@ -208,11 +209,24 @@ std::string get_user_docs_folder()
 
 std::string get_canonical_path(const std::string& path)
 {
+  const std::string full = get_absolute_path(path);
   char buffer[PATH_MAX];
   // Ignore return value as realpath() returns nullptr anyway when the
   // resolved_path parameter is specified.
-  realpath(path.c_str(), buffer);
-  return buffer;
+  if (realpath(full.c_str(), buffer))
+    return buffer;                // No error, the file/dir exists
+  return std::string();
+}
+
+std::string get_absolute_path(const std::string& path)
+{
+  std::string full = path;
+  if (!full.empty() && full[0] != '/')
+    full = join_path(get_current_path(), full);
+  full = normalize_path(full);
+  if (!full.empty() && full.back() == path_separator)
+    full.erase(full.size()-1);
+  return full;
 }
 
 paths list_files(const std::string& path)
diff --git a/base/fs_win32.h b/base/fs_win32.h
index 3edc6d12d..6366ff1a6 100644
--- a/base/fs_win32.h
+++ b/base/fs_win32.h
@@ -5,17 +5,18 @@
 // This file is released under the terms of the MIT license.
 // Read LICENSE.txt for more information.
 
-#include <stdexcept>
-#include <windows.h>
-#include <shlobj.h>
-#include <sys/stat.h>
-
+#include "base/fs.h"
 #include "base/paths.h"
 #include "base/string.h"
 #include "base/time.h"
 #include "base/version.h"
 #include "base/win/win32_exception.h"
 
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <shlobj.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
 namespace base {
 
 bool is_file(const std::string& path)
@@ -119,8 +120,7 @@ std::string get_current_path()
   TCHAR buffer[MAX_PATH+1];
   if (::GetCurrentDirectory(sizeof(buffer)/sizeof(TCHAR), buffer))
     return to_utf8(buffer);
-  else
-    return "";
+  return std::string();
 }
 
 void set_current_path(const std::string& path)
@@ -133,8 +133,7 @@ std::string get_app_path()
   TCHAR buffer[MAX_PATH+1];
   if (::GetModuleFileName(NULL, buffer, sizeof(buffer)/sizeof(TCHAR)))
     return to_utf8(buffer);
-  else
-    return "";
+  return std::string();
 }
 
 std::string get_temp_path()
@@ -152,15 +151,29 @@ std::string get_user_docs_folder()
     buffer);
   if (hr == S_OK)
     return to_utf8(buffer);
-  else
-    return "";
+  return std::string();
 }
 
 std::string get_canonical_path(const std::string& path)
 {
+  std::string full = get_absolute_path(path);
+  DWORD attr = ::GetFileAttributes(from_utf8(full).c_str());
+  if (attr != INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
+    return full;
+  return std::string();
+}
+
+std::string get_absolute_path(const std::string& path)
+{
+  std::string full;
+  if (path.size() > 2 && path[1] != ':')
+    full = base::join_path(base::get_current_path(), path);
+  else
+    full = path;
+
   TCHAR buffer[MAX_PATH+1];
   GetFullPathName(
-    from_utf8(path).c_str(),
+    from_utf8(full).c_str(),
     sizeof(buffer)/sizeof(TCHAR),
     buffer,
     nullptr);