Editing C (programming language) (section)

=== File handling and streams ===
File input and output (I/O) is not part of the C language itself but instead is handled by libraries (such as the C standard library) and their associated header files (e.g. <code>stdio.h</code>). File handling is generally implemented through high-level I/O which works through [[Stream (computing)|streams]]. A stream is from this perspective a data flow that is independent of devices, while a file is a concrete device. The high-level I/O is done through the association of a stream to a file. In the C standard library, a [[data buffer|buffer]] (a memory area or queue) is temporarily used to store data before it is sent to the final destination. This reduces the time spent waiting for slower devices, for example a [[hard drive]] or [[solid-state drive]]. Low-level I/O functions are not part of the standard C library{{clarify|date=October 2021}} but are generally part of "bare metal" programming (programming that is independent of any [[operating system]] such as most [[embedded programming]]). With few exceptions, implementations include low-level I/O.