ref: ac12d51e7ea3a0ffb7d8053a10b6bf6acf1235ae
dir: /docs/content/functions/readfile.md/
---
title: readFile
description: Reads a file from disk relative to the current project working directory and returns a string.
godocref:
date: 2017-02-01
publishdate: 2017-02-01
lastmod: 2017-04-30
categories: [functions]
menu:
docs:
parent: "functions"
keywords: [files]
signature: ["readFile PATH"]
workson: []
hugoversion:
relatedfuncs: [readDir]
deprecated: false
aliases: []
---
Note that the filename must be relative to the current project working directory.
So, if you have a file with the name `README.txt` in the root of your project with the content `Hugo Rocks!`:
```
{{readFile "README.txt"}} → "Hugo Rocks!"
```
For more information on using `readDir` and `readFile` in your templates, see [Local File Templates][local].
[local]: /templates/files/