File I/O

Definition

File I/O, or file input/output, refers to the process of reading from and writing to files on a computer's storage system. It allows programs to interact with and manipulate data stored in files, enabling the storage and retrieval of information beyond the runtime of the program.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. File I/O is a fundamental concept in programming that allows data to be stored and retrieved beyond the runtime of a program.
2. Python's built-in 'open()' function is used to open files, and the 'read()', 'write()', and 'close()' methods are used to interact with the file contents.
3. File modes, such as 'r' for read, 'w' for write, and 'a' for append, determine the allowed operations on the file.
4. Absolute and relative file paths can be used to specify the location of a file, with absolute paths starting from the root directory and relative paths starting from the current working directory.
5. CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files are a common file format used to store and exchange tabular data, and Python's 'csv' module provides tools for reading and writing CSV files.

Review Questions

• Explain the purpose of file I/O in the context of programming and how it relates to the concept of input/output (1.2 Input/output).
  • File I/O is a crucial aspect of programming that allows data to be stored and retrieved beyond the runtime of a program. It enables the persistence of information, which is essential for many applications that need to work with data that cannot fit entirely in memory or must be accessed across multiple sessions. In the context of input/output (1.2 Input/output), file I/O is a specific type of I/O operation that involves reading from and writing to files on a computer's storage system, rather than just taking input from the user or displaying output on the screen.
• Describe the different file modes available in Python and how they affect the allowed operations on a file (1.2 Input/output).
  • Python's 'open()' function allows files to be opened in different modes, which determine the allowed operations on the file. The common file modes include 'r' for read-only, 'w' for write-only (creating a new file or overwriting an existing one), 'a' for append-only (adding data to the end of an existing file), and 'r+' for read-write access. These modes are crucial in the context of input/output (1.2 Input/output), as they control how the program can interact with the file, whether it's reading data, writing data, or a combination of both.
• Discuss the importance of file paths and how they relate to working with files in different locations, including the use of CSV files (14.3 Files in different locations and working with CSV files).
  • File paths are essential for specifying the location of a file within a file system. Absolute file paths start from the root directory and provide the complete path to the file, while relative file paths start from the current working directory. Understanding file paths is crucial when working with files in different locations, as it allows programs to access and manipulate files stored in various directories on the system. This is particularly relevant in the context of 14.3 Files in different locations and working with CSV files, where the ability to specify the correct file path is necessary for reading and writing CSV data stored in different locations on the computer.

Related terms

File Handling:

The set of operations and functions used to manage files, including opening, closing, reading, and writing files.

File Modes: The different modes in which a file can be opened, such as read-only, write-only, or read-write, which determine the allowed operations on the file.

File Paths: The location of a file within a file system, specified by a sequence of directories and the file name.