Introduction

C++ or ‘the New C,’ as it is based on C’s framework and additional features. C++ is also credited to influence several languages such as C# and other newer editions of C. It is also recognized with the introduction of Object-Oriented Programming. This establishes the fact about how essential C++ has been for the programming world. 

This article is about one of the most basic yet crucial tasks, file handing in C++. Now, files are significant for programming as well as for other sectors as they are the storage sectors. This is where the entire data is assembled.

Importance of File Handling in C++

Before we embark on this journey of C++, let’s take a few moments to understand why do we need file handling. In simple terms, it offers a mechanism through which you can collect the output of a program in a file and then perform multiple operations on it. 

There is one more term, “Stream,” which we’ll be using quite frequently. So, let’s get acquainted with it, as well. A stream is a process that indicates a device on which you are performing the input and output operations. In other words, the stream can be represented as an origin or target of characters of unspecified length based on its function. 

ifstream, ofstream, and fstream make the set of file handling methods in C++. A brief description of these three objects –

• ofstream – In C++, ofstream is used to create and write in files. It signifies the output file stream. 
• ifstream – Programmers use ifstream to read from files. It signifies the input file stream. 
• fstream – fstream can be said as a combination of ofstream and ifstream. It is used to create, read, and write files.

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