[SOLVED] How does scandir order files? (Python module os)

So, I'm using python os module, the scandir function and the order of the output doesn't make sense to me. It's not in alphabetical order, as I'd expect, but seemingly completely random.

Basically, it's just simple straight forward

for i in scandir( path ):
print( i )

Is it random? Or is there some order that I'm not seeing? (Like inode order or something)

Originally Posted by hedron So, I'm using python os module, the scandir function and the order of the output doesn't make sense to me. It's not in alphabetical order, as I'd expect, but seemingly completely random.

Probably physical order in the directory, compare the output with "ls -f" or "ls -U":

-f     do not sort, enable -aU, disable -ls --color
-U     do not sort; list entries in directory order

The sort you normally see is done by ls internally, that's why on large directories it takes a while as it first has to read all entries and then sort them.

BTW: directory order is fs-dependant, tree-oriented fs'es do it different from i.e. ext? which is strictly sequential, new names get put into the holes, left by removed files (there is NO re-sequencing at removes).

yes, it is something like order of creation, but as it was mentioned "new names get put into the holes, left by removed files", moving/renaming files and other things (even just editing/saving) may alter the order.
From the other hand this python for loop will just walk thru the list returned by scandir (which is the "native" order of entries) without any kind of sorting.