readdird

Readdird is a name used for tools and libraries that read the contents of a directory, returning information about its entries. It is not a single standardized utility, but rather a label adopted by different projects or implementations to perform directory listing and related metadata retrieval. As a result, the exact features and interfaces can vary between implementations.

In typical usage, readdird provides a way to obtain a list of directory entries along with basic metadata. Common entry fields include the entry name, type (such as file, directory, or symbolic link), size, and timestamps. Many implementations offer options to tailor the traversal, such as recursive descent into subdirectories, filtering by entry type or extension, including or excluding hidden files, and sorting the results. Error handling capabilities, such as reporting inaccessible directories or permission-denied entries, are also commonly included.

Implementation approaches for readdird generally rely on underlying operating system APIs. POSIX systems use interfaces like opendir, readdir, and closedir, often with scandir for more efficient filtering. Windows environments typically leverage FindFirstFile and FindNextFile. Languages provide various wrappers or libraries, including Python (os.scandir), C/C++ (dirent.h), and Rust (std::fs). Performance considerations often emphasize minimizing system calls by batching metadata retrieval and supporting efficient recursion strategies.

Usage may appear in code as a function call or a command-line interface, returning a structured collection of entries for further processing or display. Because multiple, unrelated projects may use the name, consult the specific implementation’s documentation for precise syntax and capabilities. See also readdir, scandir, opendir.