Files and Directory Management
The majority of applications necessitate the processing of input data to generate corresponding output. Input and Output (I/O) mechanisms are employed to manage this input and output processing. Within Python, the IO module serves as the conduit for interacting with streams. The apex of the I/O hierarchy comprises the abstract base class IOBase, which outlines the fundamental interface governing stream operations.
File Handling in Python
A file serves as a sequence of bytes residing on the disk, designated for the storage of interconnected data. These files are crafted to ensure permanent data retention and are pre-formed structures. Python affords uncomplicated methodologies for effectively managing such files. Broadly categorized into text files and binary files, text files contain human-readable text, while binary files encompass computer-readable binary data. Python's file handling capabilities necessitate no external module imports. The File object inherently furnishes fundamental functions and methods essential for file manipulation purposes by default.In Python, file processing takes place in the following order.
- Open a file which returns a file handle
- Use the handle to perform read or write actions
- Close the file handle
File Access Mode
The access_mode parameter serves as the determinant of the specific mode in which the file is to be opened, thereby dictating whether operations such as reading, writing, appending, etc., are permissible. Here is a list of the different modes of opening a file:
