To get the current working directory in Go, use the “os.Getwd()” or “filepath.Abs(‘.’)” function. The current working directory is the directory in which a process starts, and it is usually the directory in which the current program or executable file is located.
Method 1: Using the os.Getwd() function
The os.Getwd() function is used to “get the rooted pathname corresponding to the current directory”.
Syntax
func Getwd()(dir string, err error)Parameters
The Getwd() function does not accept any parameter.
Return value
The return type of the os.Getwd() function is a string containing the rooted pathname corresponding to the current directory and an error, if any.
Example
package main
import (
"fmt"
"os"
)
func main() {
currentDirectory, err := os.Getwd()
if err != nil {
fmt.Println(err)
return
}
fmt.Println("The current directory is:", currentDirectory)
}Output
The current directory is: /Users/krunallathiya/Desktop/Code/GoMethod 2: Using the filepath.Abs() function
You can also use the “path/filepath’s Abs()” function to get the current working directory in Go.
Syntax
func Abs(path string) (string, error)Parameters
The “path” is the specified path.
Return value
It returns an absolute representation of the specified path.
Example
package main
import (
"fmt"
"path/filepath"
)
func main() {
// Get the current working directory.
currentDirectory, err := filepath.Abs(".")
if err != nil {
// Handle the error.
panic(err)
}
// Print the current working directory.
fmt.Println("The current directory is:", currentDirectory)
}Output
The current directory is: /Users/krunallathiya/Desktop/Code/GoThat’s it.
Krunal Lathiya is a seasoned Computer Science expert with over eight years in the tech industry. He boasts deep knowledge in Data Science and Machine Learning. Versed in Python, JavaScript, PHP, R, and Golang. Skilled in frameworks like Angular and React and platforms such as Node.js. His expertise spans both front-end and back-end development. His proficiency in the Python language stands as a testament to his versatility and commitment to the craft.
I found that os.Getwd() gets the current directory of the source code file it is invoked from. I would like to know a reliable way of getting the users current directory, not the source code’s directory or the directory where the executable is located. I can’t find a reliable way to do this! In your example, I bet ‘/Users/krunallathiya/Desktop/Code/Go’ is the same location on disk where your main program is. If you navigate to a different directory and run the same program, what do you get?