How Can I Efficiently Process Large Text Files Line by Line in Python?

Efficient Text File Processing: Reading Large Files Line by Line without Memory Overload

To process massive text files without overwhelming memory resources, one viable approach is to read the contents line by line instead of loading the entire file into memory. This technique proves particularly useful when dealing with files exceeding several gigabytes in size.

The Power of Line-by-Line Processing

To effectively implement this line-by-line reading strategy, consider utilizing the Python 'for loop' together with a file object. This approach eliminates the need for loading the entire file contents into memory, thereby conserving system resources and preventing performance bottlenecks.

Using Context Managers for File Handling

For optimal file handling, it is strongly recommended to use context managers such as 'with open(...)'. Context managers handle file opening and closing operations automatically, ensuring that resource management is handled efficiently and that files are properly closed once processing is complete.

Sample Code for Line-by-Line Reading

Here's an example code snippet that showcases how to read a large text file line by line:

with open("log.txt") as infile:
    for line in infile:
        # Perform operations on each line as needed

In this example, the 'with' statement utilizes the context manager to open "log.txt" in read-only mode. Subsequently, the 'for' loop iterates over each line in the file, enabling line-by-line processing without the need to store the entire file in memory.

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