How to List Files and Folders in a Directory using Python

Listing files and folders in a directory is a common task in Python programming. In this tutorial, we will explore different methods to accomplish this.

Using the os.listdir() Method

The built-in os module in Python provides the listdir() method, which can be used to retrieve a list of files and folders in a given directory. Here’s an example:

import os

dirname = '/users/Flavio/dev'
files = os.listdir(dirname)

print(files)

In the above code, we import the os module and set the dirname variable to the desired directory path. Then, we use the os.listdir() method to fetch a list of all files and folders present in the specified directory. Finally, we print the list of files and folders.

Obtaining the Full Path of Files

If you need to obtain the full path of each file in the directory, you can use the os.path.join() method to combine the directory path with the filename. Here’s an example:

import os

dirname = '/users/Flavio/dev'
files = os.listdir(dirname)

fullpaths = map(lambda name: os.path.join(dirname, name), files)

print(list(fullpaths))

In the above code, we utilize the os.path.join() method to join the directory path (dirname) with each filename in the files list. We use the map() function to apply this operation to every element in the files list, and then convert it to a list using the list() function. Finally, we print the list of full paths.

Separating Files and Folders

To list only the files or directories in a given directory, you can use the os.path.isfile() and os.path.isdir() methods. Here’s an example:

import os

dirname = '/users/Flavio/dev'
dirfiles = os.listdir(dirname)

fullpaths = map(lambda name: os.path.join(dirname, name), dirfiles)

dirs = []
files = []

for file in fullpaths:
    if os.path.isdir(file):
        dirs.append(file)
    elif os.path.isfile(file):
        files.append(file)

print(list(dirs))
print(list(files))

In the above code, we create separate lists for directories (dirs) and files (files). We iterate through each full path in the fullpaths list and use the os.path.isdir() and os.path.isfile() methods to determine whether each entry is a directory or a file. Depending on the result, we add the entry to the respective list. Finally, we print the lists of directories and files.

Remember to change the dirname variable to the desired directory path in the above code snippets.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned different methods to list files and folders in a directory using Python. These techniques allow you to manipulate and work with the file system in your Python programs efficiently.