• NodeJS Tutorial
  • NodeJS Exercises
  • NodeJS Assert
  • NodeJS Buffer
  • NodeJS Console
  • NodeJS Crypto
  • NodeJS DNS
  • NodeJS File System
  • NodeJS Globals
  • NodeJS HTTP
  • NodeJS HTTP2
  • NodeJS OS
  • NodeJS Path
  • NodeJS Process
  • NodeJS Query String
  • NodeJS Stream
  • NodeJS String Decoder
  • NodeJS Timers
  • NodeJS URL
  • NodeJS Interview Questions
  • NodeJS Questions
  • Web Technology
  • In Node, the fs (File System) module provides a collection of methods for interacting with the file system. Among these methods, fs.readFile() stands out as a fundamental tool for reading data from files asynchronously. This article will delve into the fs.readFile() method, exploring its syntax, parameters, usage, and error handling.

    NodeJS readfile method

    The readfile method is used to asynchronously read the data from a file. It is a method of node js file system module . Asynchronously reading file content enables the non-blocking operation in Node.

    Syntax:

    fs.readFile( file_path, encoding, callback_function )

    Parameters:

    The method accepts three parameters as mentioned above and described below:

    • file_path: It holds the file’s name to read or the entire path if stored at another location.
    • encoding: It holds the encoding of the file. Its default value is ‘utf8’ .
    • callback_function: A callback function is called after reading the file. It takes two parameters:
      • err: If any error occurred.
      • data: Contents of the file.

    Return Value:

    It returns the contents/data stored in file or error if any.

    If you’re looking to manage file operations efficiently in full-stack applications, the Full Stack Development with React & Node JS course provides detailed lessons on asynchronous file handling in Node.js.

    Steps to Create Node JS Application

    Step 1: In the first step, we will create the new folder by using the below command in the VScode terminal.

    mkdir folder-name
    cd folder-name

    Step 2: Initialize the NPM using the below command. Using this the package.json file will be created.

    npm init -y

    Project Structure:

    NodeProj

    Project Structure

    Example 1: Below examples illustrate the fs.readFile() method in Node JS. The output is undefined it means the file is null. It starts reading the file and simultaneously executes the code. The function will be called once the file has been read meanwhile the ‘readFile called’ statement is printed then the contents of the file are printed.

    JavaScript
    //index.js
    // Node.js program to demonstrate
    // the fs.readFile() method
    // Include fs module
    var fs = require('fs');
    // Use fs.readFile() method to read the file
    fs.readFile('Demo.txt', 'utf8', function (err, data) {
        // Display the file content
        console.log(data);
    console.log('readFile called');
    

    Step to run the Node App:

    node index.js

    Output: 

    readFile called
    undefined

    Example 2: Below examples illustrate the fs.readFile() method in Node JS:

    JavaScript
    //index.js
    // Node.js program to demonstrate
    // the fs.readFile() method
    // Include fs module
    const fs = require('fs');
    // Use fs.readFile() method to read the file
    fs.readFile('demo.txt', (err, data) => {
        console.log(data);
    

    Step to run the Node App:

    node index.js

    Output:

    undefined

    Error Handling

    When using fs.readFile(), it’s important to handle errors properly to prevent crashes and ensure graceful error recovery. Common errors include file not found, insufficient permissions, and I/O errors. You can handle errors by checking the err parameter passed to the callback function. If err is truthy, an error occurred during the reading process, and you should handle it accordingly.

    fs.readFile("example.txt", "utf8", (err, data) => {
    if (err) {
    if (err.code === "ENOENT") {
    console.error("File not found:", err.path);
    } else {
    console.error("Error reading file:", err);
    }
    return;
    }
    console.log("File content:", data);
    });

    Conclusion

    The fs.readFile method in Node.js provides a straightforward way to read file contents asynchronously. By understanding its syntax, parameters, usage, and error handling, you can effectively use it to read data from files in your Node.js applications. When working with file I/O operations, always remember to handle errors properly to ensure the reliability and stability of your applications.

    Node.js fsPromises.readFile() Method
    The fsPromises.readFile() method is used to read the file. This method read the entire file into the buffer. To load the fs module, we use require() method. It Asynchronously reads the entire contents of a file. Syntax: fsPromises.readFile( path, options ) Parameters: The method accepts two parameters as mentioned above and described below: path: I
    Node.js filehandle.readFile() Method
    The filehandle.readFile() method is used to asynchronously read the file contents. This method reads the entire file into the buffer. It Asynchronously reads the entire contents of a file. Syntax: filehandle.readFile( options ) Parameters: The method accepts single parameter as mentioned above and described below: options: It holds the encoding of
    How to operate callback-based fs.readFile() method with promises in Node.js ?
    The fs.readFile() method is defined in the File System module of Node.js. The File System module is basically to interact with the hard disk of the user’s computer. The readFile() method is used to asynchronously read the entire contents of a file and returns the buffer form of the data. The fs.readFile() method is based on callback. Using callback
    Difference between readFile and createReadStream in Node.js
    Node.js offers various methods for file handling, two of the most commonly used being readFile and createReadStream. fs.readFile and fs.createReadStream are both used to read files in Node.js, but they cater to different needs. fs.readFile reads the entire file into memory, making it suitable for smaller files. In contrast, fs.createReadStream read
    PHP | readfile( ) Function
    The readfile() function in PHP is an inbuilt function which is used to read a file and write it to the output buffer. The filename is sent as a parameter to the readfile() function and it returns the number of bytes read on success, or FALSE and an error on failure. By adding an '@' in front of the function name the error output can be hidden. Synt
    How to create a simple web server that can read a given file on a given disk via “readFile” function ?
    To create a web server we need to import the 'http' module using require() method and create a server using the createServer() method of the HTTP module. Syntax: const http = require('http')const server = createServer(callback).listen(port,hostname);Now in the callback in the createServer() method, we need to read the file from our local directory
    Node.js Http2ServerRequest.method Method
    The Http2ServerRequest.method is an inbuilt application programming interface of class Http2ServerRequest within the http2 module which is used to get the string representation of the request method. Syntax: const request.method Parameters: This method does not accept any argument as a parameter. Return Value: This method returns the string represe
    Node.js http.IncomingMessage.method Method
    The http.IncomingMessage.method is an inbuilt application programming interface of class Incoming Message within the inbuilt http module which is used to get the type of request method as a string. Syntax: request.method Parameters: This method does not accept any argument as a parameter. Return Value: This method returns the request type name as a
    Node.js Automatic restart Node.js server with nodemon
    We generally type following command for starting NodeJs server: node server.js In this case, if we make any changes to the project then we will have to restart the server by killing it using CTRL+C and then typing the same command again. node server.js It is a very hectic task for the development process. Nodemon is a package for handling this rest
    Top 3 Best Packages Of Node.js that you should try being a Node.js Developer
    Node.js is an open-source and server-side platform built on Google Chrome's JavaScript Engine (V8 Engine). Node.js has its own package manager called NPM( Node Package Manager) which has very useful and incredible libraries and frameworks that makes our life easier as a developer to work with Node.js. The 3 Best Packages of Node.js that you should
    Node.js Connect Mysql with Node app
    Node.js is a powerful platform for building server-side applications, and MySQL is a widely used relational database. Connecting these two can enable developers to build robust, data-driven applications. In this article, we'll explore how to connect a Node.js application with a MySQL database, covering the necessary setup, configuration, and basic
    Javascript Program For Swapping Kth Node From Beginning With Kth Node From End In A Linked List
    Given a singly linked list, swap kth node from beginning with kth node from end. Swapping of data is not allowed, only pointers should be changed. This requirement may be logical in many situations where the linked list data part is huge (For example student details line Name, RollNo, Address, ..etc). The pointers are always fixed (4 bytes for most
    Javascript Program For Inserting A Node After The N-th Node From The End
    Insert a node x after the nth node from the end in the given singly linked list. It is guaranteed that the list contains the nth node from the end. Also 1 <= n. Examples: Input : list: 1->3->4->5 n = 4, x = 2 Output : 1->2->3->4->5 4th node from the end is 1 and insertion has been done after this node. Input : list: 10->8
    How to resolve 'node' is not recognized as an internal or external command error after installing Node.js ?
    Encountering the error message ‘node’ is not recognized as an internal or external command after installing Node.js can be frustrating, especially when you’re eager to start working on your project. This error usually means that your system cannot find the Node.js executable because the path to it is not set correctly in your system's environment v
    Node.js URLSearchParams.has() Method
    In URLSearchParams interface, the has() method returns a Boolean which tells us that if the parameter with input name exists it will return true, else false. Syntax: var Bool = URLSearchParams.has(name) Returns: True - if name present, else it will return False. Parameters: name - Input the name of the parameter. Example1: let url = new URL('https:
    Node.js hmac.update() Method
    The hmac.update() method is an inbuilt method of class HMAC within the crypto module which is used to update the data of hmac object. Syntax: hmac.update(data[, inputEncoding])Parameters: This method takes the following two parameters: data: It can be of string, Buffer, TypedArray, or DataView type. It is the data that is passed to this function.in
    Node.js process.send() Method
    The process.send() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the process module which is used by the child process to communicate with the parent process. This method does not work for the root process because it does not have any parent process. Syntax: process.send(message, [sendHandle])Parameters: This method accepts the followin
    Node.js writeStream.clearLine() Method
    The writeStream.clearLine() is an inbuilt application programming interface of class WriteStream within the module which is used to clear the current line of this write stream object. Syntax: writeStream.clearLine(dir[, callback]) Parameters: This method takes the following argument as a parameter: dir: Integer value defining the selection of a lin
    Node.js net.SocketAddress() Method
    Node.js Net module allows you to create TCP or IPC servers and clients. A TCP client initiates a connection request to a TCP server to establish a connection with the server. Syntax: Below is the syntax for importing the Net module into your node js project: const <Variable_Name> = require('node:net'); const Net_Module = require('node:net');
    Node.js fs.link() Method
    The fs.link() method is used to create a hard link to the given path. The hard link created would still point to the same file even if the file is renamed. The hard links also contain the actual contents of the linked file. Syntax: fs.link( existingPath, newPath, callback ) Parameters: This method accepts three parameters as mentioned above and des
    Run Python script from Node.js using child process spawn() method
    Node.js is one of the most adopted web development technologies but it lacks support for machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence libraries. Luckily, Python supports all these and many more other features. Django Framework for Python can utilize this functionality of Python and can provide support for building new age web applica
    Node.js date-and-time Date.isLeapYear() Method
    The date-and-time.Date.isLeapYear() is a minimalist collection of functions for manipulating JS date and time module which is used to check if the given year is a leap year or not. Required Module: Install the module by npm or used it locally. By using npm: npm install date-and-time --save By using CDN link: <script src="/path/to/date-and-time.m
    Node.js Http2ServerRequest.httpVersion Method
    The Http2ServerRequest.httpVersion is an inbuilt application programming interface of class Http2ServerRequest within the http2 module which is used to get the HTTP version either associated with server or client. Syntax: const request.httpVersion Parameters: This method does not accept any argument as a parameter. Return Value: This method returns
    Node.js hmac.digest() Method
    The hmac.digest() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of class hmac within crypto module which is used to return the hmac hash value of inputted data. Syntax: hmac.digest([encoding])Parameter: This method takes encoding as a parameter which is an optional parameter. Return Value: This method calculates the hmac digest of all data
    Node.js v8.Serializer.writeDouble() Method
    The v8.Serializer.writeDouble() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the v8.Serializer module which is used to write a JS number value to the internal buffer. For use inside of custom serializer._writeHostObject(). Syntax: v8.Serializer.writeDouble( Value ); Parameters: This method accepts single parameter as mentioned above an
    Node.js v8.Serializer.writeRawBytes() Method
    The v8.Serializer.writeRawBytes() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the v8.Serializer module which is used to write a raw buffer data to the internal buffer. For use inside of custom serializer._writeHostObject(). Syntax: v8.Serializer.writeRawBytes( Buffer ); Parameters: This method accepts single parameter as mentioned abo
    Node.js v8.Deserializer.readHeader() Method
    The v8.Deserializer.readHeader() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the v8.Deserializer module which is used to read the header and validate it, to ensure that contains a valid serialization format version. Syntax: v8.Deserializer.readHeader(); Parameters: This method does not accept any parameters. Return Value: This method
    Node.js v8.Deserializer.readValue() Method
    The v8.Deserializer.readValue() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the v8.Deserializer module which is used to read the JS value from serialized data as present in a buffer. Syntax: v8.Deserializer.readValue(); Parameters: This method does not accept any parameters. Return Value: This method reads JS value from serialized rep
    Node.js Buffer.readUInt16LE() Method
    The Buffer.readUInt16LE() method is an inbuilt application programming interface of class Buffer within Buffer module which is used to read an unsigned 16-bit integer from buffer at the specified offset with specified little endian format. Syntax: Buffer.readUInt16LE( offset ) Parameters: This method accepts single parameter offset which denotes th
    Node.js verify.update(data[, inputEncoding]) Method
    The verify.update() method is an inbuilt method in verify class within the crypto module in NodeJs. This method verifies the content within the given data. When the input encoding parameter is not specified and it detects that the data is a string, the 'utf8' encoding is used. However, if the data is the type of Buffer, TypedArray or DataView, then
    We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience on our website. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Cookie Policy & Privacy Policy Got It !
    Please go through our recently updated Improvement Guidelines before submitting any improvements.
    This improvement is locked by another user right now. You can suggest the changes for now and it will be under 'My Suggestions' Tab on Write.
    You will be notified via email once the article is available for improvement. Thank you for your valuable feedback!
    Please go through our recently updated Improvement Guidelines before submitting any improvements.
    Suggest Changes
    Help us improve. Share your suggestions to enhance the article. Contribute your expertise and make a difference in the GeeksforGeeks portal.