FileManager is a powerful class in Swift that allows you to manage files and directories on iOS and macOS. This article will guide you through the basics of using FileManager, from creating directories to reading and writing files.

Introduction to FileManager

FileManager is part of the Foundation framework and provides an interface for performing file system operations. It allows you to create, read, write, copy, move, and delete files and directories.

Creating a Directory

To create a directory, you can use the createDirectory(at:withIntermediateDirectories:attributes:) method. Here's an example:

import Foundation

let fileManager = FileManager.default
let documentsURL = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let newDirectoryURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("NewDirectory")

do {
    try fileManager.createDirectory(at: newDirectoryURL, withIntermediateDirectories: true, attributes: nil)
    print("Directory created successfully at \(newDirectoryURL.path)")
} catch {
    print("Error creating directory: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}

Writing to a File

To write data to a file, you can use the createFile(atPath:contents:attributes:) method. Here's an example:

import Foundation

let fileManager = FileManager.default
let documentsURL = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let fileURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("example.txt")
let content = "Hello, FileManager!".data(using: .utf8)

fileManager.createFile(atPath: fileURL.path, contents: content, attributes: nil)
print("File created successfully at \(fileURL.path)")

Reading from a File

To read data from a file, you can use the contents(atPath:) method. Here's an example:

import Foundation

let fileManager = FileManager.default
let documentsURL = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let fileURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("example.txt")

if let data = fileManager.contents(atPath: fileURL.path), let content = String(data: data, encoding: .utf8) {
    print("File content: \(content)")
} else {
    print("Failed to read file content")
}

Copying a File

To copy a file, you can use the copyItem(at:to:) method. Here's an example:

import Foundation

let fileManager = FileManager.default
let documentsURL = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let sourceURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("example.txt")
let destinationURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("example_copy.txt")

do {
    try fileManager.copyItem(at: sourceURL, to: destinationURL)
    print("File copied successfully to \(destinationURL.path)")
} catch {
    print("Error copying file: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}

Deleting a File

To delete a file, you can use the removeItem(at:) method. Here's an example:

import Foundation

let fileManager = FileManager.default
let documentsURL = fileManager.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let fileURL = documentsURL.appendingPathComponent("example.txt")

do {
    try fileManager.removeItem(at: fileURL)
    print("File deleted successfully at \(fileURL.path)")
} catch {
    print("Error deleting file: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}

Conclusion

FileManager is a versatile and essential class for file system operations in iOS and macOS development. By mastering its methods, you can efficiently manage files and directories within your applications.