I've used something like this weed barrier fabric, like below.
There's many kinds available I just took a screen shot of this Amazon product to show you.
It's usually sold at a local Home improvement center.
It's conveniently 3 ft. Wide, good for paths and then I put down some cheap Mulch to cover the fabric.
It won't last forever, but the ones that cost a little more do tend to last longer, (a few years)
They also make small metal (holders) to hold down the corners. They are actually (very large staples) made out of wire, is the only way I can describe them. Pic below.
