Buffering and flushing output are crucial concepts in Python that affect how data is written to files or displayed in the console. In this article, we’ll unravel the mysteries behind buffering and flushing, and explore how they impact your Python programs.
Buffering Explained
Buffering is a technique used to improve the efficiency of I/O operations by storing data temporarily in a buffer before writing it to a file or displaying it in the console. By default, Python uses buffering to optimize file operations, reducing the number of system calls and improving performance.
Understanding Buffering Modes
There are three buffering modes in Python:
No buffering: Data is written directly to the file or displayed in the console without any buffering. This mode is useful when you want immediate output but can be less efficient for large amounts of data.
with open('example.txt', 'w', buffering=0) as file:
file.write('No buffering: Immediate output')