Swift – Check if Directory is Empty

In this tutorial, you will learn how to check if a given directory is empty or not in Swift language using contentsOfDirectory() method.

Check if given Directory is Empty in Swift

To check if a given directory is empty or not, in Swift, we have to check if the contents of the directory is empty or not.

Follow these steps.

1. Given a path to directory.
2. Get the default shared File manager using FileManager.defaut.
3. Get the contents of the directory by calling contentsOfDirectory() method of file manager, and passing the path to directory.
4. Read the isEmpty property of the contents returned.
5. If isEmpty property returns true, then the given directory is empty. Or else, the directory is not empty.
6. We can use the isEmpty property as condition in Swift if-else statement.

The syntax to get the contents of the directory at path is

fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: path)

Examples

1. Check if directory is empty

In this example, we take a path "/Users/tutorialkart/dummy/", and check if this directory is empty or not.

The given directory is empty.

main.swift

import Foundation

let path = "/Users/tutorialkart/dummy/"

let fileManager = FileManager.default
do {
    let contents = try fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: path)
    if contents.isEmpty {
        print("DIRECTORY IS EMPTY.")
    } else {
        print("DIRECTORY IS NOT EMPTY.")
    }
} catch {
    print("Error reading directory contents: \(error)")
}

Output

Since the given directory is empty, isEmpty property returns true, and the if-block is run.

2. Directory is not empty

In this example, we take a path "/Users/tutorialkart/", and check if this directory is empty or not.

main.swift

import Foundation

let path = "/Users/tutorialkart/"

let fileManager = FileManager.default
do {
    let contents = try fileManager.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: path)
    if contents.isEmpty {
        print("DIRECTORY IS EMPTY.")
    } else {
        print("DIRECTORY IS NOT EMPTY.")
    }
} catch {
    print("Error reading directory contents: \(error)")
}

Output

The directory at given path is not empty, and therefore, isEmpty property returns false, and the else-block is run.

Conclusion

In this Swift Tutorial, we have seen how to check if a directory is empty or not, using contentsOfDirectory() method of file manager, with examples.