Python File Handling for Beginners

File handling is an essential skill for any Python programmer, especially when working with data storage, configuration files, or log files. Python makes file operations straightforward with built-in functions that allow you to read from, write to, and manipulate files easily. In this blog, we’ll explore the basics of file handling in Python for beginners.

Opening a File

In Python, you use the built-in open() function to open a file. It requires the file name and mode as arguments.

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file = open("example.txt", "r")  # Opens file in read mode

Common file modes include:

'r' – Read (default)

'w' – Write (creates or overwrites the file)

'a' – Append (adds content to the end of the file)

'b' – Binary mode (used with rb, wb, etc.)

'x' – Create (fails if file exists)

Reading from a File

You can read the contents of a file using methods like:

content = file.read()        # Reads entire file

line = file.readline()       # Reads a single line

lines = file.readlines()     # Reads all lines into a list

Don’t forget to close the file after reading:

file.close()

Or use the safer with-statement:

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

    content = file.read()

    print(content)

Writing to a File

To write content:

with open("example.txt", "w") as file:

    file.write("Hello, World!")

Using 'a' mode appends data without overwriting:

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with open("example.txt", "a") as file:

    file.write("\nAppended text")

Checking File Existence

Use the os module to check if a file exists:

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import os

if os.path.exists("example.txt"):

    print("File exists!")

else:

    print("File not found.")

Deleting a File

To delete a file safely:

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import os

if os.path.exists("example.txt"):

    os.remove("example.txt")

Conclusion

Python’s file handling capabilities are both powerful and beginner-friendly. Whether you’re reading configuration files, saving user data, or logging application activity, mastering file I/O is a fundamental part of Python programming. Always remember to handle files responsibly—close them when done and check for their existence to avoid errors. 

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Error Handling in Python

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