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tessl/pypi-platformdirs

A small Python package for determining appropriate platform-specific dirs, e.g. a user data dir.

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Platform Directories

A small Python package for determining appropriate platform-specific directories for storing application data, configuration files, cache, logs, and other resources. This library serves as a modern replacement for the appdirs library, providing cross-platform directory management with support for the XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux, Apple guidelines on macOS, MSDN recommendations on Windows, and Android-specific conventions.

Package Information

  • Package Name: platformdirs
  • Language: Python
  • Installation: pip install platformdirs
  • Python Requirements: >=3.9

Core Imports

import platformdirs

For functional API:

from platformdirs import user_data_dir, user_config_dir, user_cache_dir

For object-oriented API:

from platformdirs import PlatformDirs

For version information:

from platformdirs import __version__, __version_info__

Basic Usage

from platformdirs import user_data_dir, user_config_dir, user_cache_dir, PlatformDirs

# Functional API - simple directory retrieval
app_data = user_data_dir("MyApp", "MyCompany")
app_config = user_config_dir("MyApp", "MyCompany") 
app_cache = user_cache_dir("MyApp", "MyCompany")

print(f"Data: {app_data}")
print(f"Config: {app_config}")
print(f"Cache: {app_cache}")

# Object-oriented API - more flexible
dirs = PlatformDirs("MyApp", "MyCompany", version="1.0")
print(f"Data: {dirs.user_data_dir}")
print(f"Config: {dirs.user_config_dir}")
print(f"Logs: {dirs.user_log_dir}")

# Ensure directories exist when accessed
dirs_auto = PlatformDirs("MyApp", ensure_exists=True)
data_path = dirs_auto.user_data_path  # Creates directory if missing

# Check version information
from platformdirs import __version__, __version_info__
print(f"platformdirs version: {__version__}")
print(f"Version info: {__version_info__}")

Architecture

platformdirs uses a polymorphic architecture that automatically selects the appropriate platform implementation:

  • PlatformDirsABC: Abstract base class defining the complete API interface
  • Platform Implementations: Unix (XDG), Windows (CSIDL), macOS (Apple guidelines), Android
  • Automatic Detection: Runtime platform detection with fallback to Unix implementation
  • Dual APIs: Both functional (single-use) and object-oriented (reusable) interfaces

The design follows platform conventions while providing a unified API, making it suitable for both simple scripts and complex applications requiring extensive directory management.

Capabilities

Functional Directory API

Simple functions that return directory paths as strings for common use cases. Each function accepts optional parameters for app identification and behavior customization.

def user_data_dir(appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, roaming: bool = False, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> str: ...
def user_config_dir(appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, roaming: bool = False, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> str: ...
def user_cache_dir(appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, opinion: bool = True, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> str: ...
def site_data_dir(appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, multipath: bool = False, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> str: ...

Functional API

Object-Oriented Directory API

Object-based interface providing both string and Path object access to directories. Enables reusable configuration and advanced features like directory iteration.

class PlatformDirs:
    def __init__(self, appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, roaming: bool = False, multipath: bool = False, opinion: bool = True, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> None: ...
    
    @property
    def user_data_dir(self) -> str: ...
    @property 
    def user_data_path(self) -> Path: ...

Object-Oriented API

User Media Directories

Access to standard user media directories like Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music, and Desktop. These provide system-appropriate locations regardless of platform.

def user_documents_dir() -> str: ...
def user_downloads_dir() -> str: ...
def user_pictures_dir() -> str: ...
def user_videos_dir() -> str: ...
def user_music_dir() -> str: ...
def user_desktop_dir() -> str: ...

User Media Directories

Types

from typing import Literal
from pathlib import Path
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
from collections.abc import Iterator
from platformdirs import PlatformDirsABC

class PlatformDirsABC(ABC):
    """Abstract base class for platform directories."""
    
    appname: str | None
    appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None  
    version: str | None
    roaming: bool
    multipath: bool
    opinion: bool
    ensure_exists: bool
    
    def __init__(self, appname: str | None = None, appauthor: str | Literal[False] | None = None, version: str | None = None, roaming: bool = False, multipath: bool = False, opinion: bool = True, ensure_exists: bool = False) -> None: ...

# Platform-specific implementations
class Unix(PlatformDirsABC): ...
class Windows(PlatformDirsABC): ...  
class MacOS(PlatformDirsABC): ...
class Android(PlatformDirsABC): ...

# Type aliases for backwards compatibility
AppDirs = PlatformDirs

# Version information
__version__: str
__version_info__: tuple[int, ...]

Install with Tessl CLI

npx tessl i tessl/pypi-platformdirs
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pypipkg:pypi/platformdirs@4.4.x
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