Best Way To Get Folder And File List In Javascript

Are you looking to get a list of files and folders using JavaScript? Whether you're building a file management system or just need to display a directory structure on a webpage, understanding how to retrieve this information can be very useful. In this article, we'll walk you through the best way to get a folder and file list in JavaScript.

To accomplish this task, we will use the File System Access API, which is a modern API that allows web applications to read and write files and folders with the user's consent. This API provides a secure and structured way to interact with the user's file system from a web app.

Firstly, you need to request the necessary permission from the user to access their file system. This is a crucial step as it ensures user privacy and security. Once permission is granted, you can start accessing the file system using the API.

To get a list of files and folders, we will use the `showDirectoryPicker()` method provided by the File System Access API. This method opens a native file picker dialog that allows the user to select a directory. Once a directory is selected, you can iterate through its contents and display the list of files and folders.

Here's a simple code example to illustrate how you can achieve this:

async function getFolderAndFileList() {
  const dirHandle = await window.showDirectoryPicker();
  const entries = await dirHandle.getEntries();

  for await (const entry of entries) {
    if (entry.kind === 'file') {
      console.log('File:', entry.name);
    } else if (entry.kind === 'directory') {
      console.log('Folder:', entry.name);
    }
  }
}

getFolderAndFileList();

In the code snippet above, we first request the user to choose a directory using `showDirectoryPicker()`. Once we have the directory handle, we use `getEntries()` to get an iterator over the contents of the directory. We then iterate through each entry and determine whether it is a file or a folder based on the `kind` property.

By utilizing the File System Access API, you can retrieve the list of files and folders from the user's file system in a secure manner, without needing to upload the files to a server.

Keep in mind that browser support for the File System Access API may vary, so it's essential to check the compatibility with different browsers before implementing this solution in your web application.

In conclusion, getting a folder and file list in JavaScript can be done efficiently using the File System Access API. By following the steps outlined in this article and incorporating the provided code snippet into your web application, you can seamlessly retrieve and display the contents of directories.