Files and Streams in C++

 

Files and Streams in C++

In C++, files and streams are essential concepts used for input and output operations. They allow a program to interact with data stored in external files and handle input and output from the user or other devices.

Files

A file is a collection of data stored in secondary storage (e.g., hard drive) that can be read or written by a program. Files can be categorized into:

1. Text Files: Store data in human-readable characters.
2. Binary Files: Store data in a format readable only by computers, which is more compact and faster to process.

Streams

A stream in C++ is an abstraction that represents a flow of data between a program and an external source or destination. The concept of streams simplifies the process of input and output.

1. Input Stream: Used to read data into the program (e.g., cin, file input).
2. Output Stream: Used to write data from the program (e.g., cout, file output).

File Handling in C++

C++ provides a library <fstream> for file operations, which includes the following classes:

1. ifstream: For input (reading data from a file).
2. ofstream: For output (writing data to a file).
3. fstream: For both input and output.