---
title: "Viewing Files in Databricks: Local vs DBFS Guide"
description: "In Databricks, you can view local files on the driver node and DBFS files through several methods. For local files, use %sh magic commands or Python file I/O. For DBFS, commands like %fs and Databricks Utilities are effective. Spark enables reading Parquet or CSV files. The UI offers a visual browsing option."
url: https://srinimf.com/2025/01/01/viewing-files-in-databricks-local-vs-dbfs-guide/
date: 2025-01-01
modified: 2026-10-10
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/create-a-featured-image-showcasing-a-user-interface-of-databricks.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1
categories: ["databricks"]
tags: ["Local Vs DBFS files"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Viewing Files in Databricks: Local vs DBFS Guide

In Databricks, you can see the contents of **local files** on the driver node and **DBFS files** using different methods. Here’s how to do it.

## **Viewing Local Files on the Driver Node**

Local files are stored on the driver node, typically in `/databricks/driver/`.

### **1. Using `%sh` Magic Command**

```
%sh
cat /databricks/driver/your-local-file.txt
```

- Replace `your-local-file.txt` with the name of your file.
- This command uses shell access [to read](https://srinimf.com/2017/07/02/cics-tutorial-slides/) the file’s content.

## **2. Using Python**

```
with open('/databricks/driver/your-local-file.txt', 'r') as file:
    contents = file.read()
    print(contents)
```

### **3. List Files in the Directory**

```
%sh
ls -l /databricks/driver/
```

---

## **Viewing Files in DBFS**

Files in DBFS are stored under paths like `/dbfs/`.

### **1. Using `%fs` Magic Command**

```
%fs head /dbfs/mnt/your-folder/your-file.txt
```

- The `head` command displays the first few lines of the file.

### **2. Using Databricks Utilities**

```
# List files in a DBFS directory
dbutils.fs.ls('/mnt/your-folder/')

# Read file contents
dbutils.fs.head('/mnt/your-folder/your-file.txt', 100)  # Read first 100 bytes
```

### **3. Using Python File I/O with `/dbfs/` Path**

```
with open('/dbfs/mnt/your-folder/your-file.txt', 'r') as file:
    contents = file.read()
    print(contents)
```

---

## **Viewing Parquet or CSV Files in DBFS**

If the file is in a format like Parquet or CSV, you can use Spark to read it:

### **Read a CSV File**

```
df = spark.read.csv('/mnt/your-folder/your-file.csv', header=True, inferSchema=True)
df.show()
```

### **Read a Parquet File**

```
df = spark.read.parquet('/mnt/your-folder/your-file.parquet')
df.show()
```

---

## **Accessing File Contents via Databricks UI**

1. Go to the **Data** tab in Databricks Workspace.
2. Navigate to the **DBFS** section to browse files visually.
3. Click on a file to preview or download its content.

You can easily access and manage files in Databricks using these methods.

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