How are file descriptors and file pointers related? When is it appropriate to use each?
How are file descriptors and file pointers related? When is it appropriate to use
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How are file descriptors and file pointers related? When is it appropriate to use each?
A file descriptor is a low-level integer “handle” used to identify an opened file (or socket, or whatever) at the kernel level, in Linux and other Unix-like systems.
You pass “naked” file descriptors to actual Unix calls, such as
read(),write()and so on.A
FILEpointer is a C standard library-level construct, used to represent a file. TheFILEwraps the file descriptor, and adds buffering and other features to make I/O easier.You pass
FILEpointers to standard C functions such asfread()andfwrite().