How to find the current directory and file’s directory in Python?

To find the current working directory and the directory of a specific file in Python, use the os and pathlib modules. Here’s how:

1. Current Working Directory

The directory your script is executing from (may differ from the file’s directory).

Using os:

import os

current_dir = os.getcwd()  # "get current working directory"
print(f"Current directory: {current_dir}")

Using pathlib (Python 3.4+):

from pathlib import Path

current_dir = Path.cwd()
print(f"Current directory: {current_dir}")

2. File’s Directory

The directory containing the currently executing script or file.

Using os:

import os

# Path of the current file (e.g., /path/to/script.py)
file_path = os.path.abspath(__file__)

# Directory of the file
file_dir = os.path.dirname(file_path)
print(f"File's directory: {file_dir}")

Using pathlib:

from pathlib import Path

file_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent  # .resolve() handles symlinks
print(f"File's directory: {file_dir}")

Key Notes

• __file__: A built-in variable representing the path to the current script.
• Not available in interactive shells (e.g., Jupyter notebooks).
• Always use os.path.abspath(__file__) or Path(__file__).resolve() to get an absolute path.
• Difference:
• Current working directory (os.getcwd()): Where the script is run from.
• File’s directory (Path(__file__).parent): Where the script itself resides.

Example Workflow

Suppose your script /home/user/project/script.py is run from /home/user:

import os
from pathlib import Path

# Current directory (where the script is run)
print(os.getcwd())  # Output: /home/user

# File's directory (where script.py resides)
print(Path(__file__).resolve().parent)  # Output: /home/user/project

Common Use Cases

1. Loading Files Relative to the Script:

   from pathlib import Path

   script_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
   data_path = script_dir / "data.csv"  # Path to data.csv in the script's directory

2. Switching the Working Directory:

   import os

   os.chdir(Path(__file__).resolve().parent)  # Change working directory to the script's dir

Troubleshooting

• FileNotFoundError: Ensure the file exists and __file__ is defined (not applicable in shells).
• Symlinks: Use resolve() in pathlib to resolve symbolic links to the actual path.

Use os for compatibility with older Python versions, and pathlib for modern, object-oriented path handling.