DEV Community

Cover image for Python : OS Module
Anjali Kumawat
Anjali Kumawat

Posted on

Python : OS Module

The os module is a part of the standard library, or stdlib, within Python 3.

Python os module provides methods that help us to perform file processing operations. Let’s explore these basic functions one by one.

Using os

Before you use the os module, you first need to bring it up by means of the Python import command:

import os
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

If you try to run os without importing it, you will see an error message:

NameError: name 'os' is not defined
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

To get a list of functions supported by os module, run the below command:

print(dir(os))
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Files

Some of the methoods of the os module to work with files.

rename() method :

It is used to rename a file or directory.

os.rename(old_filename,new_filename)
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Example

os.rename(“file.txt”, “user.txt”)
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

remove() method :

It is used to delete the file.
Path : This is a path-like object which represents a file system path. This path-like object is either a string or bytes object.

os.remove(path_of_file)
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Example

os.remove(“d1/user.txt”)
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Directories

CWD :

CWD == "Current working directory"

getcwd() method :

returns current directory.
or
To check the path of the current working directory, we will use the getcwd method.

print(os.getcwd())
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Note The folder where the Python script is running is known as the Current Directory. This is not the path where the Python script is located.

mkdir() method :

It is used to create a directory in current directory.

os.mkdir("d1")
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

This method raises FileExistsError if the directory to be created already exists.

chdir() method :

Suppose, we have a folder, for example, info, inside our current directory, we can switch to the info folder, using the chdir function. or It is used to change the current directory.

os.chdir("info")
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

rmdir() method :

It is used to delete a directory. The directory must be empty before it is deleted.

os.rmdir("dirname")
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

listdir() method :

Returns a list containing names of files and subdirectories in the specified directory.

print(os.listdir())
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Keep Learning!!
Keep Coding....❤️👩‍💻

Top comments (9)

Collapse
 
norweeg profile image
Brennen Raimer • Edited

100% of these functions and the majority of this module ought to be considered deprecated by pathlib and shutil. If you are still using os for filesystem operations, you are making your life harder than it needs to be.

docs.python.org/3/library/pathlib....

docs.python.org/3/library/shutil.html

Collapse
 
shaikmalikbasha profile image
SHAIK MALIK BASHA • Edited

Nice, but expects more 😀

Collapse
 
anjalikumawat2002 profile image
Anjali Kumawat

Thanks , I will try to improve next time .

Collapse
 
shaikmalikbasha profile image
SHAIK MALIK BASHA

Hey its just a feedback. Nothing personal.

Thread Thread
 
anjalikumawat2002 profile image
Anjali Kumawat

Yes, i know but it's good to know me that where I am wrong and needs to improve....

Collapse
 
khush2706 profile image
Khushboo Chaturvedi

Nicee!!

Collapse
 
anjalikumawat2002 profile image
Anjali Kumawat

Thankyou ❤️

Collapse
 
tapish1511 profile image
Tapish1511

🤩🤩 niiiiccceee

Collapse
 
anjalikumawat2002 profile image
Anjali Kumawat

Thankyou @tapish1511