File handling refers to the process of performing operations on a file such as creating,

opening, reading, writing and closing it, through a programming interface. It involves
managing the data flow between the program and the file system on the storage device,
ensuring that data is handled safely and efficiently.

Opening a File in Python

To open a file we can use open() function, which requires file path and mode as arguments:

# Open the file and read its contents

with open('test.txt', 'r') as file:

This code opens file named geeks.txt.

File Modes in Python

When opening a file, we must specify the mode we want to which specifies what we want to
do with the file. Here’s a table of the different modes available:
Mod
e Description Behavior

Opens the file for reading. File must exist;

r Read-only mode. otherwise, it raises an error.

Opens the file for reading binary data. File must

rb Read-only in binary mode. exist; otherwise, it raises an error.

Opens the file for both reading and writing. File

r+ Read and write mode. must exist; otherwise, it raises an error.

Opens the file for both reading and writing

Read and write in binary binary data. File must exist; otherwise, it raises
rb+ mode. an error.

Opens the file for writing. Creates a new file or

w Write mode. truncates the existing file.

Opens the file for writing binary data. Creates a

wb Write in binary mode. new file or truncates the existing file.

Opens the file for both writing and reading.

w+ Write and read mode. Creates a new file or truncates the existing file.

Opens the file for both writing and reading

Write and read in binary binary data. Creates a new file or truncates the
wb+ mode. existing file.

Opens the file for appending data. Creates a

a Append mode. new file if it doesn’t exist.

Opens the file for appending binary data.

ab Append in binary mode. Creates a new file if it doesn’t exist.

a+ Append and read mode. Opens the file for appending and reading.

Append and read in binary Opens the file for appending and reading binary
ab+ mode. data. Creates a new file if it doesn’t exist.

Creates a new file. Raises an error if the file

Exclusive creation mode.
x already exists.
Reading a File

Reading a file can be achieved by file.read() which reads the entire content of the file. After
reading the file we can close the file using file.close() which closes the file after reading it,
which is necessary to free up system resources.

Example: Reading a File in Read Mode (r)

file = open("sample.txt", "r")

content = file.read()

print(content)

file.close()

Output:

Hello world

Good Luck

123 456

Reading a File in Binary Mode (rb)

file = open("sample.txt", "rb")

content = file.read()

print(content)

file.close()

Output:

b'Hello world\r\nGood Luck\r\n123 456'

Writing to a File

Writing to a file is done using file.write() which writes the specified string to the file. If the
file exists, its content is erased. If it doesn’t exist, a new file is created.

Example: Writing to a File in Write Mode (w)

file = open("sample.txt", "w")

file.write("Hello, World!")

file.close()

Writing to a File in Append Mode (a)

It is done using file.write() which adds the specified string to the end of the file without
erasing its existing content.

Example: For this example, we will use the Python file created in the previous example.

# Python code to illustrate append() mode

file = open('test.txt', 'a')

file.write("This will add this line")

file.close()

Closing a File

Closing a file is essential to ensure that all resources used by the file are properly
released. file.close() method closes the file and ensures that any changes made to the file
are saved.

file = open("geeks.txt", "r")

# Perform file operations

file.close()

Using with Statement

with statement is used for resource management. It ensures that file is properly closed after
its suite finishes, even if an exception is raised. with open() as method automatically handles
closing the file once the block of code is exited, even if an error occurs. This reduces the risk
of file corruption and resource leakage.

with open("sample.txt", "r") as file:

content = file.read()

print(content)

Output:

Hello, World!

Appended text.

Handling Exceptions When Closing a File

It’s important to handle exceptions to ensure that files are closed properly, even if an error
occurs during file operations.

try:

file = open("sample.txt", "r")

 content = file.read()

print(content)

except FileNotFoundError:

print(“file does not exist, create a new one”)

finally:

file.close()

Output:

Hello, World!

Appended text.

Advantages of File Handling in Python

 Versatility : File handling in Python allows us to perform a wide range of operations,

such as creating, reading, writing, appending, renaming and deleting files.

 Flexibility : File handling in Python is highly flexible, as it allows us to work with

different file types (e.g. text files, binary files, CSV files , etc.) and to perform different
operations on files (e.g. read, write, append, etc.).

 User – friendly : Python provides a user-friendly interface for file handling, making it
easy to create, read and manipulate files.

 Cross-platform : Python file-handling functions work across different platforms (e.g.

Windows, Mac, Linux), allowing for seamless integration and compatibility.

Disadvantages of File Handling in Python

 Error-prone: File handling operations in Python can be prone to errors, especially if

the code is not carefully written or if there are issues with the file system (e.g. file
permissions, file locks, etc.).

 Security risks : File handling in Python can also pose security risks, especially if the
program accepts user input that can be used to access or modify sensitive files on
the system.

 Complexity : File handling in Python can be complex, especially when working with
more advanced file formats or operations. Careful attention must be paid to the code
to ensure that files are handled properly and securely.
 Performance : File handling operations in Python can be slower than other
programming languages, especially when dealing with large files or performing
complex operations.