Find the Current Directory and File’s Directory

Use os.getcwd() and __file__ with os.path or pathlib
To determine both the current working directory and the script’s file location:

1. Get the current directory (where the script is run from):

import os
cwd = os.getcwd()
print("Current working directory:", cwd)

2. Get the directory where the Python file itself is located:

import os
script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
print("Directory of the script file:", script_dir)

Example:

import os
print("Current working directory:", os.getcwd())
print("Directory of this script file:", os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))

Using pathlib (Python 3.4+ alternative):

from pathlib import Path
cwd = Path.cwd()
script_dir = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
print("Current working directory:", cwd)
print("Directory of the script file:", script_dir)

Notes:

• os.getcwd() gives you the directory where the Python process was started (the shell’s location).
• __file__ gives you the path of the script file being executed.
• Use Path(__file__).resolve().parent for a cleaner and more modern way with pathlib.

Also Read:

Python for App Development