How to remove hidden files and folders using Python?

In the domain of file and folder manipulation, it is found that hidden files and folders can be a source of inconvenience, chaos and confusion, particularly when they are not supposed to be accessible and visible to the end-users. It is a common practice to keep hidden files and folders in a directory that often start with a dot (.) on Unix-based systems (e.g., Linux, macOS) or are designated as hidden on Windows systems. Deleting these hidden files and folders manually can be a tedious task; in this context, Python can be of great help!

In this article, we will explore several methods to remove hidden files and folders using Python. We will also discuss step-by-step explanations and code examples to guide you through the process. It does not matter whether you are using the "os" module, the "pathlib" module, or third-party libraries, this article will surely equip you with the tools to effortlessly clean up your directory and remove those annoying hidden files and folders.

Let's embark on this journey of file handling with Python and learn how to remove hidden files and folders!

Using os.walk() to Remove Hidden Files and Folders

The "os" module in Python comes bundled with the "os.walk()" function, which allows us to traverse a directory and its subdirectories. We can use this function to identify hidden files and folders and then remove them if needed.

Example

• He, firstly, we import the "os" module; it provides functions for interacting with the operating system, including file and directory operations.

• The "remove_hidden_files_and_folders()" function takes the "directory" as input and recursively removes hidden files and folders from it.

• We use "os.walk(directory, topdown=False)" to traverse the directory and its subdirectories in a bottom-up manner. Setting "topdown=False" ensures that we can remove files and folders safely without interfering with the traversal process.

• For each directory in the current directory, we check if its name starts with a dot (indicating it is a hidden folder). If it is, we construct the path and remove the folder using "os.rmdir(hidden_folder_path)".

• Similarly, for each file in the current directory, we check if its name starts with a dot (indicating it is a hidden file). If it is, we construct the path and remove the file using "os.remove(hidden_file_path)".

import os

def remove_hidden_files_and_folders(directory):
   for root, dirs, files in os.walk(directory, topdown=False):
      for name in dirs:
         if name.startswith('.'):
            hidden_folder_path = os.path.join(root, name)
            os.rmdir(hidden_folder_path)
      for name in files:
         if name.startswith('.'):
            hidden_file_path = os.path.join(root, name)
            os.remove(hidden_file_path)

Using pathlib.Path.glob() to Remove Hidden Files and Folders

The "pathlib" module makes available an object-oriented approach to file handling. We can utilize "Path.glob()" to traverse a directory and remove hidden files and folders efficiently.

Example

• In this present example, the "Path" class is imported from the "pathlib" module, which represents a file system path.

• The "remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_pathlib()" function takes the "directory" as input and uses "Path.rglob()" to recursively find all hidden files and folders in the directory.

• We create a "Path" object with "Path(directory)" to represent the input directory.

• The "path_object.rglob('.*')" recursively finds all paths starting with a dot (hidden files and folders) in the specified directory and its subdirectories.

• For each path object found, we check if it represents a directory using "path_object.is_dir()". If it does, we remove the directory using "path_object.rmdir()".

• If it is not a directory, we remove the file using "path_object.unlink()".

from pathlib import Path

def remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_pathlib(directory):
   for path_object in Path(directory).rglob('.*'):
      if path_object.is_dir():
         path_object.rmdir()
      else:
         path_object.unlink()

Using os.listdir() to Remove Hidden Files and Folders

The "os.listdir()" function permits us to obtain a list of items (files and directories) within a directory. We can utilize this function along with "os.path" functions to identify hidden files and folders and remove them accordingly.

Example

• The "remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_os_listdir()" function takes the "directory" as input and removes hidden files and folders using "os.listdir()" and "os.path" functions.

• We use "os.listdir(directory)" to obtain a list of items (files and directories) within the specified directory.

• For each item in the "items" list, we construct the full path using "os.path.join(directory, item)".

• If the item starts with a dot (indicating it is a hidden file or folder), we check if it is a directory using "os.path.isdir(item_path)". If it is, we remove the directory using "os.rmdir(item_path)".

• If the item is not a directory, we remove the file using "os.remove(item_path)".

import os

def remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_os_listdir(directory):
   items = os.listdir(directory)
   for item in items:
      item_path = os.path.join(directory, item)
      if item.startswith('.'):
         if os.path.isdir(item_path):
            os.rmdir(item_path)
         else:
            os.remove(item_path)

Using shutil.rmtree() to Remove Hidden Files and Folders

The "shutil" module in Python provides the "shutil.rmtree()" function, which can recursively remove a directory and its contents, including hidden files and folders.

Example

• The "remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_shutil()" function takes the "directory" as input and uses "shutil.rmtree()" to remove hidden files and folders recursively.

• We use "os.walk(directory, topdown=False)" to traverse the directory and its subdirectories in a bottom-up manner.

• For each directory in the current directory, we check if its name starts with a dot (indicating it is a hidden folder). If it does, we construct the path and remove the folder using "shutil.rmtree(hidden_folder_path)".

• Similarly, for each file in the current directory, we check if its name starts with a dot (indicating it is a hidden file). If it does, we construct the path and remove the file using "os.remove(hidden_file_path)".

import shutil

def remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_shutil(directory):
   for root, dirs, files in os.walk(directory, topdown=False):
      for name in dirs:
         if name.startswith('.'):
            hidden_folder_path = os.path.join(root, name)
            shutil.rmtree(hidden_folder_path)
      for name in files:
         if name.startswith('.'):
            hidden_file_path = os.path.join(root, name)
            os.remove(hidden_file_path)

Using pathlib.Path.rglob() to Remove Hidden Files and Folders

The "pathlib" module's "Path.rglob()" method allows us to recursively traverse a directory and its subdirectories. We can use this method to identify hidden files and folders and remove them efficiently.

Example

• The "remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_pathlib_rglob()" function takes the "directory" as input and removes hidden files and folders using "Path.rglob()" and "shutil.rmtree()".

• We create a "Path" object with "Path(directory)" to represent the input directory.

• The "path_object.rglob('.*')" recursively finds all paths starting with a dot (hidden files and folders) in the specified directory and its subdirectories.

• For each path object found, we check if it represents a directory using "path_object.is_dir()". If it does, we remove the directory using "shutil.rmtree(path_object)".

• If it is not a directory, we remove the file using "path_object.unlink()".

from pathlib import Path

def remove_hidden_files_and_folders_with_pathlib_rglob(directory):
   for path_object in Path(directory).rglob('.*'):
      if path_object.is_dir():
         shutil.rmtree(path_object)
      else:
         path_object.unlink()

To summarize, in this comprehensive article, we explored diverse methods to remove hidden files and folders using Python. We learned several skills such as how to traverse directories, identify hidden entities, and remove them using both the "os" and "pathlib" modules, as well as the "shutil" library. Whether you prefer the simplicity of "os.walk()" or the object-oriented approach of "pathlib", Python provides the flexibility and tools to efficiently clean up directories and eliminate hidden clutter.

When you find yourself surrounded by hidden files and folders causing confusion and hindering your file-handling tasks, recall the power of Python and these techniques to effortlessly remove those irritating hidden files and folders.