Java - File list() Method



Description

The Java File list() method returns the array of files and directories in the directory defined by this abstract path name. The method returns null, if the abstract pathname does not denote a directory.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.io.File.list() method −

public String[] list()

Parameters

NA

Return Value

The method returns array of files and directories in the directory denoted by this abstract pathname.

Exception

SecurityException − If a security manager exists and its SecurityManager.checkRead(java.lang.String) method denies read access to the file

Example 1

The following example shows the usage of Java File list() method. We've created a File reference. Then we're creating a File Object using test directory which is present in the provided directory. Then we're getting the list of files present in the test directory using list() method into a string array. Then this array is iterated to print the available files in the given directory.

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;
      String[] paths;            
      try {    
      
         // create new file
         f = new File("F:/test");
                                 
         // array of files and directory
         paths = f.list();
            
         // for each name in the path array
         for(String path:paths) {
         
            // prints filename and directory name
            System.out.println(path);
         }
         
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

test.txt
Test1.txt

Example 2

The following example shows the usage of Java File list() method. We've created a File reference. Then we're creating a File Object using current directory where we're running this program using ".". Then we're getting the list of files present in the current directory using list() method into a string array. Then this array is iterated to print the available files in the given directory.

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;
      String[] paths;            
      try {    
      
         // create new file
         f = new File(".");
                                 
         // array of files and directory
         paths = f.list();
            
         // for each name in the path array
         for(String path:paths) {
         
            // prints filename and directory name
            System.out.println(path);
         }
         
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

.classpath
.project
.settings
app.log
bin
properties.txt
properties.xml
src
test.txt

Example 3

The following example shows the usage of Java File list() method. We've created a File reference. Then we're creating a File Object using test3 directory which is not present in the provided directory. Then we're getting the list of files present in the test directory using list() method into a string array. Then this array is iterated to print the available files in the given directory. As folder is not present, array will be null and we're printing a message - "Files are not present".

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;
      String[] paths;
      try {    

         // create new file
         f = new File("F:/Test3");
		 
         // array of files and directory
         paths = f.list();

         if(paths != null) {
            // for each name in the path array
            for(String path:paths) {

               // prints filename and directory name
               System.out.println(path);
            }
         }else {
            System.out.println("Files are not present");
         }
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Files are not present
java_file_class.htm
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