Java Program to Rename a File

Changing the name of the file is known as Renaming the file. Rename operation is possible using renameTo() method belongs to the File class in java.

A. renameTo() Method

The renameTo() method is used to rename the abstract pathname of a file to a given pathname. The method returns a boolean value i.e. returns true if the file is renamed else returns false.

Approach

1. Create an object of the File class and replace the file path with the path of the directory.
2. Create another object of the File class and replace the file path with the renaming path of the directory.
3. Use renameTo() method.
4. If rename operation successful then the function returns true.
5. Else returns false.

Below is the implementation of the above approach.

Java

// Java Program to rename a file
import java.io.File;
public class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        // Create an object of the File class
        // Replace the file path with path of the directory
        File file = new File("/home/mayur/Folder/GFG.java");

        // Create an object of the File class
        // Replace the file path with path of the directory
        File rename = new File("/home/mayur/Folder/HelloWorld.java");

        // store the return value of renameTo() method in
        // flag
        boolean flag = file.renameTo(rename);

        // if renameTo() return true then if block is
        // executed
        if (flag == true) {
            System.out.println("File Successfully Rename");
        }
        // if renameTo() return false then else block is
        // executed
        else {
            System.out.println("Operation Failed");
        }
    }
}

Output:

File Successfully Rename

Before Program Execution

After Program Execution

B. move() Method

Rename of file can be done using move the contents of the first file to a new file and deleting the previous file. Java is handling this operation using resolveSibiling method. It is used to resolve the given path against this path’s parent path

Java

// Java Program to rename a file
import java.nio.file.*;
import java.io.IOException;

public class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws IOException
    {

        Path oldFile
            = Paths.get("/home/mayur/Folder/GFG.java");

        try {
            Files.move(oldFile, oldFile.resolveSibling(
                                    "HelloWorld.java"));
            System.out.println("File Successfully Rename");
        }
        catch (IOException e) {
            System.out.println("operation failed");
        }
    }
}

Output:

File Successfully Rename

Before Program Execution

After Program Execution