Java I/O Basics: A Newbie's Guide to Input and Output Streams

When I first heard about Java I/O, I thought, “How hard can reading and writing files be?” But as soon as I saw InputStreams, OutputStreams, Readers, Writers, and Serialization, I realized there was a lot more to it than I expected. If you're like me—just starting to learn about Java file handling and streams—this guide is for you! I'll walk you through what I learned, the confusions I had, and how I finally understood Java I/O in a simple, structured way. By the end of this guide, you’ll know: ✔️ How Java handles file reading and writing ✔️ The difference between Character Streams & Byte Streams ✔️ How to read & write text files efficiently ✔️ How to work with binary files & serialization Let's start from the very basics!

Mar 6, 2025 - 11:06

Java I/O Basics: A Newbie's Guide to Input and Output Streams

When I first heard about Java I/O, I thought, “How hard can reading and writing files be?” But as soon as I saw InputStreams, OutputStreams, Readers, Writers, and Serialization, I realized there was a lot more to it than I expected.

If you're like me—just starting to learn about Java file handling and streams—this guide is for you! I'll walk you through what I learned, the confusions I had, and how I finally understood Java I/O in a simple, structured way.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know:
✔️ How Java handles file reading and writing
✔️ The difference between Character Streams & Byte Streams
✔️ How to read & write text files efficiently
✔️ How to work with binary files & serialization

Let's start from the very basics!