Unlock the Power of Efficient Data Reading with Java’s BufferedInputStream
When it comes to reading data from input streams, efficiency is key. That’s where Java’s BufferedInputStream class comes in – a game-changer for optimizing data reading operations.
How BufferedInputStream Works Its Magic
BufferedInputStream maintains an internal buffer of 8192 bytes, which acts as a cache to store data read from the disk. When you perform a read operation, a chunk of bytes is read from the disk and stored in this internal buffer. Then, individual bytes are read from the buffer, reducing the number of communications with the disk. This results in faster byte reading and improved performance.
Creating a BufferedInputStream: A Step-by-Step Guide
To create a BufferedInputStream, start by importing the java.io.BufferedInputStream package. Next, create a FileInputStream object, and then pass it to the BufferedInputStream constructor. You can also specify a custom buffer size if needed. This will enable you to read bytes from files more quickly and efficiently.
Unlocking the Power of BufferedInputStream Methods
BufferedInputStream provides several methods inherited from the InputStream class, including:
- read(): Reads a single byte from the input stream
- read(byte[] arr): Reads bytes from the stream and stores them in the specified array
- read(byte[] arr, int start, int length): Reads a specified number of bytes from the stream and stores them in the array starting from the specified position
Let’s put these methods into action! Suppose we have a file named input.txt with some content. We can use BufferedInputStream to read the file and explore its capabilities.
Putting it All Together: A Practical Example
Using the read() method, we can read an array of bytes from the internal buffer of the buffered reader. The output will display the contents of the input.txt file.
Available Bytes and Beyond
The available() method returns the number of available bytes in the input stream. By using this method, we can check the number of available bytes before and after reading data from the stream.
Skipping Bytes with Ease
The skip() method allows us to discard and skip a specified number of bytes from the input stream. This can be useful when you need to navigate through a file quickly.
Closing the Stream: A Crucial Step
Finally, the close() method is used to close the buffered input stream. Once closed, the stream cannot be used to read data again.
Exploring Further: Other BufferedInputStream Methods
There’s more to BufferedInputStream than meets the eye. To learn more about its other methods and capabilities, visit the official Java documentation on Java BufferedInputStream.