How can I create a temporary file in Python?

General Discussions
1

You can use tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile to create a temporary file with a specific name and write content into it. Here’s how:

import tempfile

some_string = 'this is some content'

with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix=".ext") as tmp_file:
    tmp_file.write(some_string.encode())  # Write content as bytes
    tmp_file_path = tmp_file.name

print(f"Temporary file created at: {tmp_file_path}")
some_obj.file_name(tmp_file_path)

This method ensures a unique temporary file with the desired extension (e.g., .ext). The delete=False parameter ensures the file persists after closing for subsequent use.

2

You can use tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile to create a temporary file with a specific name and write content into it. Here’s how:

import tempfile

some_string = 'this is some content'

with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False, suffix=".ext") as tmp_file:
    tmp_file.write(some_string.encode())  # Write content as bytes
    tmp_file_path = tmp_file.name

print(f"Temporary file created at: {tmp_file_path}")
some_obj.file_name(tmp_file_path)

This method ensures a unique temporary file with the desired extension (e.g., .ext). The delete=False parameter ensures the file persists after closing for subsequent use.

3

If the file doesn’t need a persistent path, tempfile.TemporaryFile is a good choice:

import tempfile

some_string = 'this is some content'

with tempfile.TemporaryFile(mode='w+t') as tmp_file:
    tmp_file.write(some_string)  # Write content
    tmp_file.seek(0)  # Move to the beginning for reading
    # Use the temporary file here if needed
    tmp_file_path = tmp_file.name

# The file is automatically deleted when closed

This approach is useful when you need a temporary file for the program’s runtime only. Note that the file doesn’t have a persistent path.

4

If you want more control while still leveraging tempfile Python, use tempfile.gettempdir() to manually create and manage a temporary file:

import tempfile
import os

some_string = 'this is some content'
temp_dir = tempfile.gettempdir()  # Get the system's temp directory
tmp_file_path = os.path.join(temp_dir, "FILE_NAME.ext")

with open(tmp_file_path, 'w') as tmp_file:
    tmp_file.write(some_string)

print(f"Temporary file created at: {tmp_file_path}")
some_obj.file_name(tmp_file_path)

This solution allows you to name the file explicitly while using the system’s temporary directory for storage.