Get List Of Filenames In Folder With Javascript

When working on a web project, there may come a time when you need to retrieve a list of filenames located in a folder using JavaScript. This can be a useful task if you're building a file management system, a photo gallery, or any application that requires accessing files dynamically. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to achieve this using JavaScript.

To begin, you will need to create a simple HTML file that includes a script tag to write your JavaScript code. Let's dive into the code:

<title>List Files in Folder</title>


  
    const fs = require('fs');
    const folderPath = './your-folder-path';
    
    fs.readdir(folderPath, (err, files) =&gt; {
      if (err) {
        console.log('Error reading folder:', err);
      } else {
        console.log('Files in the folder:', files);
      }
    });

In the code above, we are using Node.js filesystem module (`fs`) to read the contents of a folder. Make sure to replace `'./your-folder-path'` with the actual path to the folder you want to list the files from.

When the script is executed, it will asynchronously read the contents of the specified folder. The `readdir` method takes the folder path and a callback function that will be called with an error if something goes wrong or an array of filenames if the operation is successful.

You can further process the list of filenames as needed. For example, you can filter out specific file types, display them on your web page, or perform any other operation based on your requirements.

It's important to note that while this method works well for server-side JavaScript applications using Node.js, it's not suitable for client-side scripts running in browsers due to security restrictions. If you need to interact with the local filesystem in a browser environment, you may need to consider alternative approaches like file input elements or server-side APIs.

In conclusion, getting a list of filenames in a folder with JavaScript can be a powerful feature in your web development projects. By using the `fs` module in Node.js, you can easily retrieve this information and manipulate it as needed. Experiment with the code, adapt it to your specific use case, and unlock the potential of dynamic file handling in your applications.