# Quickly create, use and delete temporary directories

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This package allows you to quickly create, use and delete a temporary directory in the system's temporary directory.

Here's a quick example on how to create a temporary directory and delete it:

```php
use Spatie\TemporaryDirectory\TemporaryDirectory;

$temporaryDirectory = (new TemporaryDirectory())->create();

// Get a path inside the temporary directory
$temporaryDirectory->path('temporaryfile.txt');

// Delete the temporary directory and all the files inside it
$temporaryDirectory->delete();
```

## Support us

[<img src="https://github-ads.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/temporary-directory.jpg?t=1" width="419px" />](https://spatie.be/github-ad-click/temporary-directory)

We invest a lot of resources into creating [best in class open source packages](https://spatie.be/open-source). You can support us by [buying one of our paid products](https://spatie.be/open-source/support-us).

We highly appreciate you sending us a postcard from your hometown, mentioning which of our package(s) you are using. You'll find our address on [our contact page](https://spatie.be/about-us). We publish all received postcards on [our virtual postcard wall](https://spatie.be/open-source/postcards).

## Installation

You can install the package via composer:

```bash
composer require spatie/temporary-directory
```

## Usage

### Creating a temporary directory

To create a temporary directory simply call the `create` method on a `TemporaryDirectory` object. By default the temporary directory will be created in a timestamped directory in your system's temporary directory (usually `/tmp`).

```php
(new TemporaryDirectory())->create();
```

### Naming your temporary directory

If you want to use a custom name for your temporary directory instead of the timestamp call the `name` method with a string `$name` argument before the `create` method.

```php
(new TemporaryDirectory())
   ->name($name)
   ->create();
```

By default an exception will be thrown if a directory already exists with the given argument. You can override this behaviour by calling the `force` method in combination with the `name` method.

```php
(new TemporaryDirectory())
   ->name($name)
   ->force()
   ->create();
```

### Setting a custom location for a temporary directory

You can set a custom location in which your temporary directory will be created by passing a string `$location` argument to the `TemporaryDirectory` constructor.

```php
(new TemporaryDirectory($location))
   ->create();
```

Optionally you can call the `location` method with a `$location` argument.

```php
(new TemporaryDirectory())
   ->location($location)
   ->create();
```

### Determining paths within the temporary directory

You can use the `path` method to determine the full path to a file or directory in the temporary directory:

```php
$temporaryDirectory = (new TemporaryDirectory())->create();
$temporaryDirectory->path('dumps/datadump.dat'); // return  /tmp/1485941876276/dumps/datadump.dat
```

### Emptying a temporary directory

Use the `empty` method to delete all the files inside the temporary directory.

```php
$temporaryDirectory->empty();
```

### Deleting a temporary directory

Once you're done processing your temporary data you can delete the entire temporary directory using the `delete` method. All files inside of it will be deleted.

```php
$temporaryDirectory->delete();
```

## Testing

```bash
composer test
```

## Changelog

Please see [CHANGELOG](CHANGELOG.md) for more information on what has changed recently.

## Contributing

Please see [CONTRIBUTING](https://github.com/spatie/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) for details.

## Security Vulnerabilities

Please review [our security policy](../../security/policy) on how to report security vulnerabilities.

## Postcardware

You're free to use this package, but if it makes it to your production environment we highly appreciate you sending us a postcard from your hometown, mentioning which of our package(s) you are using.

Our address is: Spatie, Kruikstraat 22, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium.

We publish all received postcards [on our company website](https://spatie.be/en/opensource/postcards).

## Credits

- [Alex Vanderbist](https://github.com/AlexVanderbist)
- [All Contributors](../../contributors)

## License

The MIT License (MIT). Please see [License File](LICENSE.md) for more information.
