How to Check if Directory on Path is Empty in Go

Using Readdirnames Function

The file.Readdirnames(n int) function reads the contents of the directory associated with file and returns a slice of up to n names of files in the directory, in directory order.

If n > 0, Readdirnames returns at most n names. In this case, if Readdirnames returns an empty slice, it will return a non-nil error explaining why. At the end of a directory, the error is io.EOF.

The following example should cover whatever you are trying to do:

package main

import (
  "fmt"
  "io"
  "os"
)

func IsEmpty(path string) (bool, error) {

  f, err := os.Open(path)
  if err != nil {
    return false, err
  }
  defer f.Close()

  // OR f.Readdir(1)
  _, err = f.Readdirnames(1)
  if err == io.EOF {
    return true, nil
  }

  return false, err
}

func main() {
  fmt.Println(IsEmpty("a"))
  fmt.Println(IsEmpty("b"))
}

true <nil>
false <nil>