Exploring Different Methods to Fetch the Application’s Path

In a .NET console application, getting the path to the application’s directory is a common task for various purposes like file handling, logging, and configuration management. Thankfully, .NET offers several techniques to achieve this.

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The article showcases various methods to retrieve the application’s path in a .NET console application.

1. Utilizing AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

A straightforward and widely used method is to employ the AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory property. This property returns the base directory where the application is currently running.

string appPath = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;

2. Employing Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location

Another approach is to use the Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location property. This provides the file path of the assembly (executable) containing the currently executing code.

string appPath = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);