Why using "path" is discouraged?

[Leeo97one]

Instead of fileid/folderid

[wearypossum4770]

Just a guess, but path is discouraged because if you change the path in the remote without your local code referencing it being updated, now you have a dead link and you get a 404: Not Found. If the fileId and the folderId reference the row in the database that is a more reliable parameter to find the item.