How to Recursively Iterate Through Files and Subdirectories in Java?

How to Iterate Through Files in Directories and Subdirectories Using Java

To obtain a comprehensive list of files, including those within subdirectories, Java provides a straightforward solution. By leveraging recursion, it's possible to navigate the file system effectively.

Recursive Approach

Utilize File#isDirectory() to determine whether a file represents a directory. If true, repeat the process with the outcome of File#listFiles(). This is known as recursion.

Here's an example implementation:

public static void showFiles(File[] files) {
    for (File file : files) {
        if (file.isDirectory()) {
            System.out.println("Directory: " + file.getAbsolutePath());
            showFiles(file.listFiles()); // Recursive call
        } else {
            System.out.println("File: " + file.getAbsolutePath());
        }
    }
}

Java 8's Files#walk

For Java 8 and above, Files#walk() offers a convenient alternative that employs tail recursion:

Files.walk(dir).forEach(path -> showFile(path.toFile()));

This safely handles deep hierarchies, avoiding potential StackOverflowError due to excessive recursion.

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