To open the file, use the built-in open() function. The open() function returns a file object, which has a read() method for reading the content of the file:

To read a text file in Python, you follow these steps: First, open a text file for reading by using the open() function. Second, read text from the text file using the file read(), readline(), or readlines() method of the file object. Third, close the file using the file close() method.

Jan 2, 2025 · There are three ways to read txt file in Python: Reading From a File Using read () read (): Returns the read bytes in form of a string. Reads n bytes, if no n specified, reads the entire file. Reading a Text File Using readline () readline (): Reads a line of the file and returns in form of a string.For specified n, reads at most n bytes.

Mar 23, 2022 · In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to read a text file in Python with the open function. Learning how to safely open, read, and close text files is an important skill to learn as you begin working with different types of files. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use context managers to safely and efficiently handle opening files.

Jun 26, 2022 · In Python, we open a file with the open() function. It’s part of Python’s built-in functions, you don’t need to import anything to use open(). The open () function expects at least one argument: the file name. If the file was successfully opened, it returns a file object that you can use to read from and write to that file.

Oct 18, 2016 · You simply need to use .readlines () on fh. like this: num_list.append(int(line)) This isn't actually true. Calling readlines will load the whole file into memory - but leaving it alone will only have one line in memory a time making it more efficient with bigger files.

Jan 29, 2023 · The modern and recommended way to read a text file in Python is to use the with open statement: The with statement automatically closes the file after the indented block of code is executed, ensuring the file is always closed properly.

Oct 27, 2021 · You can use the following syntax to open a file in Python, do something with it, and then close the file: print(df) The problem with this approach is that it’s very easy to forget to close the file. A better approach is to use with open, which uses the following basic syntax: df = file.read() print(df)

Jul 12, 2022 · In this article, you will learn how to use both the with statement and open() function to work with files in Python. What Does Open() Do in Python? To work with files in Python, you have to open the file first. So, the open() function does what the name implies – it opens a file for you so you can work with the file.

Apr 7, 2025 · Python provides a built-in function that helps us open files in different modes. The open() function accepts two essential parameters: the file name and the mode; the default mode is 'r', which opens the file for reading only. The modes define how we can access a file and how we can manipulate its content.