Opening Files in the Same Directory

In Python, you can read or write files using the built‑in open() function. When the target file resides in the same folder as your script, a relative path makes the code portable and easy to maintain.

The following example loads a configuration file named settings.cfg located in the same directory:

config_path = "./settings.cfg"
with open(config_path, 'r') as handler:
   data = handler.read()
   print(data)

Here "./settings.cfg" is the relative path. The leading ./ explicitly refers to the current working directory. The with statement ensures the file is properly closed after reading.

Sequence Diagram

The following diagram shows the interaction between the Python script and the file:

sequenceDiagram
   participant Python
   participant File
   Python->>File: open file with relative path
   File-->>Python: return file contents

Python sends an open request using the filename, and the file system returns the content.

Journey Diagram

A high‑level view of the same process can be illustrated with a journey:

journey
   title Opening a File in the Same Directory
   section Discover File
       Python: - Notices a file is needed
               - Opens file using relative path
               - Reads all content
   section Return Contents
       File: - Sends content back to Python

The journey highlights the two‑phase flow: the script decides to open a local file and then receives the file’s data.