File System

File System

Work with the app sandbox using FileManager, document directories, and data read/write APIs.

Locate Directories

Use FileManager to find the Documents and Caches folders.

Syntax: FileManager.default.urls(for:in:), e.g. .documentDirectory, .cachesDirectory

import Foundation

let docs = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let caches = FileManager.default.urls(for: .cachesDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
print("Docs:", docs)
print("Caches:", caches)

import SwiftUI

struct ContentView: View {
  var body: some View {
    Text("Locate Directories")
      .padding()
  }
}

import SwiftUI

@main
struct MyApp: App {
  var body: some Scene {
    WindowGroup { ContentView() }
  }
}

This example locates the sandboxed Documents and Caches directories.

Read & Write

Write and read text or binary data using Data and String APIs.

Syntax:

• try data.write(to: url)
• let data = try Data(contentsOf: url)
• try text.write(to: url, atomically:encoding:)

import Foundation

let docs = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let file = docs.appendingPathComponent("hello.txt")

// Write text
let text = "Hello files!"
try? text.write(to: file, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)

// Read text
let loaded = try? String(contentsOf: file, encoding: .utf8)
print(loaded ?? "")

import SwiftUI

struct ContentView: View {
  var body: some View {
    Text("Read & Write Files")
      .padding()
  }
}

import SwiftUI

@main
struct MyApp: App {
  var body: some Scene {
    WindowGroup { ContentView() }
  }
}

This example writes a text file in Documents and reads it back.

Create and Remove

Create folders with createDirectory and delete entries with removeItem.

Syntax:

• try FileManager.default.createDirectory(at:withIntermediateDirectories:)
• try FileManager.default.removeItem(at:)

import Foundation

let docs = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!
let folder = docs.appendingPathComponent("Temp")
try? FileManager.default.createDirectory(at: folder, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
try? FileManager.default.removeItem(at: folder)

import SwiftUI

struct ContentView: View {
  var body: some View {
    Text("Create and Remove Entries")
      .padding()
  }
}

import SwiftUI

@main
struct MyApp: App {
  var body: some Scene {
    WindowGroup { ContentView() }
  }
}

This example creates and then removes a subfolder in the Documents directory.