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Java Bufferedreader Example: Java Explained

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Learning how to use Java and the Bufferedreader is essential for any programmer. Java is a high-level, object-oriented programming language used in web and mobile applications. A Bufferedreader is a convenient way to input data while programming in Java. It is a class used to read text from an input stream. In this article, we’ll explore what a Bufferedreader is, what it does, how to create one, how to read from it, how to close it, and the advantages of using a Java Bufferedreader. We’ll also provide a working example of a Java Bufferedreader.

What is a Bufferedreader?

In Java, the Bufferedreader class is used to read text from an input stream like a file or keyboard input. It is a s stream that implements the Reader interface which provides methods for reading characters or lines of text from the stream. Bufferedreader objects are created from other stream objects. You can use the read() methods to get the data, one character at time or you can use the readLine() method to get the data one line at a time.

The Bufferedreader class is often used in combination with the InputStreamReader class, which is used to convert bytes of data into characters. This allows the Bufferedreader to read the data from the stream and process it as characters. The Bufferedreader also provides methods for skipping characters, marking the current position in the stream, and resetting the stream to the marked position.

What Does a Bufferedreader Do?

A Bufferedreader allows you to read character or line data from an input stream in a convenient and efficient manner. The data can then be manipulated or stored by the program. For example, you could use the Bufferedreader class to read user input from the keyboard and then store it in a file for processing or display it on the screen. You can also use it to read data from an input file line by line. The readLine() method of the Bufferedreader class returns a single line of text.

The Bufferedreader class also provides methods for reading a specific number of characters or bytes from the input stream. This is useful for reading data from a file in chunks, rather than reading the entire file at once. Additionally, the Bufferedreader class provides methods for skipping over characters or lines of text, which can be useful for skipping over headers or other irrelevant data.

How to Create a Bufferedreader Object

Bufferedreader objects are created from another stream object. The most common way to create a Bufferedreader is to pass a FileReader object to its constructor. The FileReader object is created by passing the location of an existing file to its constructor:

FileReader fr = new FileReader("/path/to/file");

The FileReader object is then passed as an argument to the constructor of BufferedReader:

BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(fr);

This will create a new BufferedReader object that can be used to read data from the file.

Once the BufferedReader object is created, it can be used to read data from the file. The readLine() method can be used to read a single line from the file, while the read() method can be used to read a single character from the file. The BufferedReader object also provides methods for skipping characters and lines, as well as for checking the end of the file.

How to Read from the Bufferedreader

Once the Bufferedread object is created, you can use its read() and readLine() methods to get the data from the file. The read() method returns a single character, while the readLine() method returns a single line of text.

The following example illustrates how to use the readLine() method:

String line = br.readLine();

This will read one line of text from the file and store it in the variable line. If there are no lines left, the readLine() method will return null.

It is important to note that the readLine() method will return the line of text without the line separator. If you need to include the line separator, you can use the readLine(boolean includeLineSeparator) method instead.

How to Close a Bufferedreader

Once the Bufferedreader object is no longer needed, it should be closed using the close() method:

br.close();

This will close the underlying input stream and release any associated system resources.

It is important to close the Bufferedreader object when it is no longer needed, as failing to do so can lead to memory leaks and other issues.

Working Example of Java Bufferedreader

The following code snippet shows an example of how to use the Bufferedreader class:

import java.io.*;
public static void main(String[] args) {
      try {
           FileReader fr = new FileReader("/path/to/file");
           BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(fr);
           String line = br.readLine();
           while (line != null) {
                // process line
                line = br.readLine();
           }
           br.close();
     } catch (IOException e) {
         &nbs p; // error handling logic goes here
&nsbp &nsbp &nsbp }
}

In this example, we are opening a file and reading one line at a time until there are no more lines left. We are also handling any IOExceptions that may occur when reading from the file.

The BufferedReader class is a powerful tool for reading data from a file. It allows us to read data in chunks, which can be more efficient than reading the entire file at once. Additionally, it allows us to easily handle errors that may occur while reading the file.

Advantages of Using a Java Bufferedreader

One of the main advantages of using a Bufferedreader is that it allows you to read large amounts of data from an input stream at once. Since all data from an input stream is read into memory internally before being processed by the program, using a Bufferedreader will reduce the amount of time spent reading from the input stream. This makes your program more efficient and reduces your overall program execution time.

In addition, using a Bufferedreader can also help improve the performance of your program by reducing the number of times the input stream needs to be accessed. By reading the data into memory, the program can access the data more quickly and efficiently, resulting in faster program execution.

Conclusion

The Java Bufferedreader class provides an efficient way to read data from an input stream like a file or keyboard input. It can be used to read large amounts of data at once and can reduce your overall program execution time. To use it, you must create a Bufferedreader object, then use its read() and readLine() methods to get the data one character or line at a time. Finally, you must close the Bufferedreader object when you are done using it to release any associated system resources.

It is important to note that the Bufferedreader class is not thread-safe, meaning that multiple threads cannot access the same Bufferedreader object at the same time. If you need to access the same data from multiple threads, you should consider using a different class, such as the Scanner class, which is thread-safe.

Picture of Sarang Sharma

Sarang Sharma

Sarang Sharma is Software Engineer at Bito with a robust background in distributed systems, chatbots, large language models (LLMs), and SaaS technologies. With over six years of experience, Sarang has demonstrated expertise as a lead software engineer and backend engineer, primarily focusing on software infrastructure and design. Before joining Bito, he significantly contributed to Engati, where he played a pivotal role in enhancing and developing advanced software solutions. His career began with foundational experiences as an intern, including a notable project at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, to develop an assistive website for the visually challenged.

Written by developers for developers

This article was handcrafted with by the Bito team.

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