Python - Directories

Introduction

Directories, also known as folders, play a crucial role in organizing and managing files within a file system. Python has modules such as shutil and os that facilitate efficient handling of directories. The key ideas and methods for using directories in Python are covered in this documentation.

1. Listing Contents of a Directory

To list the contents of a directory, you can use the os.listdir() method.

# Example : Listing contents of a directory

import os 
content = os.listdir('path/to/directory')
print(content)

2. Creating a Directory

To create a new directory, you can use the os.mkdir() method.

# Example : Creating a new directory

import os
os.mkdir('/path/to/new_directory')

3. Checking if a Directory Exists

You can check if a directory exists using the os.path.exists() method.

# Example : Checking if a directory exists

import os 
directory_exists = os.path.exists('/path/to/existing_directory')
print(directory_exists)

4. Removing a Directory

To remove an empty directory, use the os.rmdir() method. For removing a directory with contents, use shutil.rmtree().

# Example : Removing a directory
import os
import shutil

# Removing an empty directory
os.rmdir('/path/to/empty_directory')

# Removing a directory with contents
shutil.rmtree('/path/to/directory_with_contents')

5. Changing the Current Working Directory

The os.chdir() method allows you to change the current working directory.

# Example : Changing the current working directory
import os 
os.chdir('/new/path')

Conclusion

Working with directories efficiently is essential for Python file management and organization. This documentation will improve your ability to manage file system operations by giving you important insights into listing contents, creating, verifying, and removing directories.