Cross-platform way of getting temp directory in Python

Under the hood: What gettempdir() does

When you execute tempfile.gettempdir(), Python internally checks environment variables specific to your current platform. For Unix-like systems, it inspects TMPDIR, while on Windows, it scours through TEMP, TMP, and USERPROFILE. It's like Python reading the house address from a note you left in your pocket.

In short, it uses what the OS thinks is the best place for temporary files, often a temp folder.

Creating your own sandbox

For times when you need a private sandbox to avoid clashes, use tempfile.mkdtemp():

import tempfile

sandbox = tempfile.mkdtemp()  # Your personal play area 🏖️
print(sandbox)


This method generates a random, unique directory name, just like those secret club houses you had as kids.

Swapping os.path.join() with pathlib

Upgrade your file path handling with Python's sleek pathlib, replacing the aging os.path.join():

from pathlib import Path
import tempfile

temp_dir = Path(tempfile.gettempdir())  # Your digital cupboard 🗄️
temp_file_path = temp_dir / 'myfile.txt'  # Even your files need a home 🏠


It's like trading in your old flip phone for a brand new smartphone 📱 — same purpose, way cooler.

Make sure you clean your room (temp files)

When you're done playing with your new toys, don't forget to clean up your sandbox with shutil.rmtree():

import shutil
import tempfile

sandbox = tempfile.mkdtemp()
# ... use sandbox for whatever you want
shutil.rmtree(sandbox)  # Get removing, before Mom finds out! 🧹


Reminding you about security

Working with temp files and directories? Watch out for security concerns! Save yourself from prying eyes 👀 and don't use predictable temp file names. With tempfile, you get names harder to predict than the lottery numbers.

Handling OS specifics

Sometimes you want to give a special handshake, depending on the OS. Use platform.system() for that:

import platform
import tempfile

os = platform.system()

if os == 'Windows':
    # "Hello Windows! Nice weather today, huh?" 🖐️☀️
elif os == 'Darwin':
    # "Hello MacOS! Working on any new updates?" 🖐️💻
else:
    # "Hello Linux/Unix! Keeping it open-source, I see!" 🖐️🐧


But hey, don't fret! tempfile takes care of all the "Hello's" and "How do you do's".

What not to do

Watch out for bad practice seat-belts 🚧: hardcoded paths like "/tmp", or accessing os.getenv("TEMP") directly. These are like ignoring traffic signals, you'll end up in trouble. Stick with tempfile, it's like your GPS 🛰️ to temp directory handling.