// Reading and writing files are basic tasks needed for // many Go programs. First we'll look at some examples of // reading files. package main import ( "bufio" "fmt" "io" "io/ioutil" "os" ) // Reading files requires checking most calls for errors. // This helper will streamline our error checks below. func check(e error) { if e != nil { panic(e) } } func main() { // Perhaps the most basic file reading task is // slurping a file's entire contents into memory. dat, err := ioutil.ReadFile("/tmp/dat") check(err) fmt.Print(string(dat)) // You'll often want more control over how and what // parts of a file are read. For these tasks, start // by `Open`ing a file to obtain an `os.File` value. f, err := os.Open("/tmp/dat") check(err) // Read some bytes from the beginning of the file. // Allow up to 5 to be read but also note how many // actually were read. b1 := make([]byte, 5) n1, err := f.Read(b1) check(err) fmt.Printf("%d bytes: %s\n", n1, string(b1[:n1])) // You can also `Seek` to a known location in the file // and `Read` from there. o2, err := f.Seek(6, 0) check(err) b2 := make([]byte, 2) n2, err := f.Read(b2) check(err) fmt.Printf("%d bytes @ %d: ", n2, o2) fmt.Printf("%v\n", string(b2[:n2])) // The `io` package provides some functions that may // be helpful for file reading. For example, reads // like the ones above can be more robustly // implemented with `ReadAtLeast`. o3, err := f.Seek(6, 0) check(err) b3 := make([]byte, 2) n3, err := io.ReadAtLeast(f, b3, 2) check(err) fmt.Printf("%d bytes @ %d: %s\n", n3, o3, string(b3)) // There is no built-in rewind, but `Seek(0, 0)` // accomplishes this. _, err = f.Seek(0, 0) check(err) // The `bufio` package implements a buffered // reader that may be useful both for its efficiency // with many small reads and because of the additional // reading methods it provides. r4 := bufio.NewReader(f) b4, err := r4.Peek(5) check(err) fmt.Printf("5 bytes: %s\n", string(b4)) // Close the file when you're done (usually this would // be scheduled immediately after `Open`ing with // `defer`). f.Close() }