How to Check if a Directory is Empty

Python : How to Check if a Directory is Empty ?

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One of Python’s many features is the ability to determine whether or not a directory is empty. The os module can be used to accomplish this. In Python, the OS module has functions for communicating with the operating system. Python’s basic utility modules include OS. This module allows you to use operating system-dependent features on the go. Many functions to communicate with the file system are included in the os and os.path modules.

A directory, also known as a folder, is a grouping of files and subdirectories. The os module in Python contains many useful methods for working with directories (and files as well).

Given a directory the task is to check whether the given _directory is empty or not

Check if a Directory is Empty

The os module in Python has a feature that returns a list of files or folders in a directory.

os.listdir(path='.')

It gives you a list of all the files and subdirectories in the direction you specified.

There are several ways to check whether the directory is empty or not some of them are:

Method #1:Using len() function

The directory is empty if the returned list is empty or has a size of 0.

We can find size using len() function.

If the given then it will print given_directory is empty else given_directory is not empty

Below is the implementation:

# checking if the given directory is empty or not
if len(os.listdir('/home/btechgeeks/posts')) == 0:
    print("given_directory is empty")
else:
    print("given_directory is not empty")

Output:

given_directory is empty

Method #2:Using not operator

If not of given path is true then it will print given_directory is empty

else given_directory is not empty.

Below is the implementation:

# checking if the given directory is empty or not
if not os.listdir('/home/btechgeeks/posts'):
    print("given_directory is empty")
else:
    print("given_directory is not empty")

Output:

given_directory is empty

In exceptional cases, check to see if a directory is empty

There may be times when os.listdir() throws an exception. As an example,

  • If the specified path does not exist.
  • If the given path exists, but it is not a directory.

In both cases, os.listdir() will return an error, so we must check this first before calling os.listdir().

Below is the implementation:

# checking if the given directory is empty or not
# given  directory
given_directory = '/home/btechgeeks/posts'
if os.path.exists(given_directory) and os.path.isdir(given_directory):
    if not os.listdir():
        print("given_directory is empty")
    else:
        print("given_directory is not empty")
else:
    print("given_directory doesn't exists')

Output:

given_directory is empty

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