Add directory context

docs/README.md

@@ -51,6 +51,22 @@ Easily indicate that some functionality is being deprecated
 Raises a warning like `DeprecationWarning: __main__.foo is deprecated: Use bar(a, b) instead. It is not guaranteed to be in service in vers. 0.5.0 foo(1, 2)`
 
 
+## Directory context
+
+A context manager that changes the current working directory to the given path upon entering the context and reverts to the original directory upon exiting. 
+If the specified path does not exist, it is created.
+
+```python
+>>> import os
+>>> from pyiron_snippets.directory_context import set_directory
+>>> directory_before_context_is_applied = os.getcwd()
+>>> with set_directory("tmp"):
+...     os.path.relpath(os.getcwd(), directory_before_context_is_applied)
+'tmp'
+
+```
+
+
 ## DotDict
 
 A dictionary that allows dot-access. Has `.items()` etc.

pyiron_snippets/directory_context.py

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import os
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def set_directory(path: Path | str):
+    """
+    A context manager that changes the current working directory to the given path
+    upon entering the context and reverts to the original directory upon exiting.
+    If the specified path does not exist, it is created.
+
+    Parameters:
+        path: Path | str
+            The target directory path to set as the current working directory.
+            If it does not exist, it will be created.
+
+    Examples:
+        Change the directory to the path "tmp" within the context:
+
+        >>> import os
+        >>> from pyiron_snippets.directory_context import set_directory
+        >>> directory_before_context_is_applied = os.getcwd()
+        >>> with set_directory("tmp"):
+        ...     os.path.relpath(os.getcwd(), directory_before_context_is_applied)
+        'tmp'
+
+    """
+    origin = Path().absolute()
+    try:
+        os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
+        os.chdir(path)
+        yield
+    finally:
+        os.chdir(origin)

tests/unit/test_directory_context.py

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import os
+import unittest
+
+from pyiron_snippets.directory_context import set_directory
+
+
+class TestContextDirectory(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_set_directory(self):
+        current_directory = os.getcwd()
+        test_directory = "context"
+        with set_directory(path=test_directory):
+            context_directory = os.getcwd()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            os.path.relpath(context_directory, current_directory), test_directory
+        )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()