Reading from a file

In our discussion of file descriptors, we touched on one method of opening a file, fetching a file descriptor, and ultimately pushing or pulling data through that reference. Reading files is a common operation. Sometimes, managing a read buffer precisely may be necessary, and Node allows byte-by-byte control. In other cases, one simply wants a no-frills stream that is simple to use.

Reading byte by byte

The fs.read method is the most low-level way Node offers for reading files.

fs.read(fd, buffer, offset, length, position, callback)

Files are composed...