Fetch list of files in a directory

In computer programming, it's common to need to access files in a particular directory. In Python, there are several ways to do this, and one of the most useful is to fetch a list of all the files in a directory. This can be helpful for a range of purposes, such as organizing and managing data, automating certain tasks, or building software applications. In this tutorial, we'll cover how to fetch a list of files in a directory in Python, step by step. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced programmer, this tutorial will give you the knowledge and skills you need to get started.

List all files of a directory in Python

• Use the  os  module to list all the files of a directory.
• Use the  os.listdir()  method to get a list of all files and directories in the specified directory.
• Code sample : 

import os

files = os.listdir("/path/to/directory")
print(files)

List Files in a Directory that match a specific pattern :

• Use the  glob  module to list all the files of a directory that match a specific pattern.
• Code sample : 

import glob

files = glob.glob("/path/to/directory/*.txt")
print(files)

List only Files from a Directory

• Use the  os  module to list only files from a directory.
• Code sample : 

import os

files = [file for file in os.listdir("/path/to/directory") if os.path.isfile(os.path.join("/path/to/directory", file))]

print(files)

Using Generator Expression to List Files of a Directory

• Use the  os  module to generate a list of files in a directory using a generator expression.
• Code sample : 

import os

files = (file for file in os.listdir("/path/to/directory") if os.path.isfile(os.path.join("/path/to/directory", file)))

for file in files:
   print(file)
   
   
   

List both Files and Directories

• Use the  os  module to list both files and directories in a directory.
• Code sample : 

import os

files = os.listdir("/path/to/directory")
print(files)

Using os.walk() to List All Files in Directory and Subdirectories

• Use the  os  module to list all files in a directory and its subdirectories.
• Code sample : 

import os

for root, dirs, files in os.walk("/path/to/directory"):
   for file in files:
       print(os.path.join(root, file))
       
       
       

Use os.scandir() to Get Files of a Directory

• Use the  os  module to get files of a directory using `os.scandir()`.
• Code sample : 

import os

with os.scandir("/path/to/directory") as directory:
   for entry in directory:
       if entry.is_file():
           print(entry.name)
           
           
           

Using Glob Module to List Files of a Directory

• Use the  glob  module to list files of a directory.

import glob

files = glob.glob("/path/to/directory/*.txt")
print(files)

How to Use Pathlib Module to List Files of a Directory

• Use the  pathlib  module to list files of a directory.

from pathlib import Path

files = [file.name for file in Path("/path/to/directory").iterdir() if file.is_file()]
print(files)