C# / .NET - list all files from directory

In this article, we would like to show you how to list files from directory in C# / .NET.

1. Get files and directories from directory example

using System;
using System.IO;

public static class Program
{
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string path = @"C:\Directories";

        string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(path);

        foreach (string entry in files)
            Console.WriteLine(string.Format("{0,-40}   [FILE]", entry));
    }
}

Output:

C:\Directories\json.txt                    [FILE]
C:\Directories\screenshot.png              [FILE]
C:\Directories\sound.mp3                   [FILE]
C:\Directories\wallpaper.jpg               [FILE]

2. Get and filter files from directory example

using System;
using System.IO;

public static class Program
{
	public static void Main(string[] args)
	{
		string path = @"C:\Directories";

		string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(path, "*.png");

		foreach (string entry in files)
			Console.WriteLine(entry);
	}
} 

Output:

C:\Directories\screenshot.png

3. Get recursively files and directories from directory example

using System;
using System.IO;

public static class Program
{
	public static void Main(string[] args)
	{
		string path = @"C:\Directories";

		string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(path, "", SearchOption.AllDirectories);

		foreach (string entry in files)
			Console.WriteLine(string.Format("{0,-40}   [FILE]", entry));
	}
}

Output:

C:\Directories\json.txt                    [FILE]
C:\Directories\screenshot.png              [FILE]
C:\Directories\sound.mp3                   [FILE]
C:\Directories\wallpaper.jpg               [FILE]
C:\Directories\Documents\cv.docx           [FILE]
C:\Directories\Documents\expences.xlsx     [FILE]
C:\Directories\Downloads\jquery.js         [FILE]
C:\Directories\Musics\song a.mp3           [FILE]
C:\Directories\Musics\song b.ogg           [FILE]
C:\Directories\Musics\song c.wav           [FILE]
C:\Directories\Pictures\picture 1.jpg      [FILE]
C:\Directories\Pictures\picture 2.jpg      [FILE]
C:\Directories\Pictures\picture 3.jpg      [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\video 1.mp4          [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\video 2.mp4          [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\Home\video 1.mp4     [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\Home\video 2.mp4     [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\Job\video 1.mp4      [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\Job\video 2.mp4      [FILE]
C:\Directories\Videos\Job\video 3.mp4      [FILE]

References

1. Directory.GetFiles Method - Microsoft Docs