8. Java I/O and NIO (New I/O)
Java provides two major APIs for handling Input and Output operations: Standard I/O (java.io) and New I/O (java.nio). The former is stream-based while the latter, introduced in Java 1.4, improves performance with a buffer and channel-based model. Key differences include non-blocking I/O capabilities in NIO, which enhance scalability and concurrency, making it more suited for applications requiring high performance like network programming and management of large files.
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What we have learnt
- Java I/O is stream-based and suitable for file and stream data operations.
- The introduction of NIO offers significant performance improvements through non-blocking I/O and efficient file handling.
- Understanding both I/O models equips developers to choose the appropriate API for specific application requirements.
Key Concepts
- -- Byte Streams
- Used to handle raw binary data, allowing input and output operations for various data types like images and audio.
- -- Character Streams
- Specifically designed for handling character data and ensuring correct encoding/decoding during input and output operations.
- -- Buffer
- A container for data used in NIO that allows for efficient reading from and writing to a channel.
- -- Channel
- A communication link in NIO between I/O devices and buffers, enabling faster, non-blocking I/O operations.
- -- Selector
- Facilitates non-blocking I/O operations, allowing a single thread to manage multiple channels, essential for server applications.
- -- Path
- Represents a file or directory path in the file system used in NIO for file management.
- -- Files
- Utility class in NIO that provides methods for file manipulation tasks like copying, moving, and reading files.
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