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doc: clarify fd behaviour with {read,write}File #23706

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47 changes: 39 additions & 8 deletions doc/api/fs.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2547,14 +2547,17 @@ fs.readFile('<directory>', (err, data) => {
});
```

Any specified file descriptor has to support reading.

If a file descriptor is specified as the `path`, it will not be closed
automatically.

The `fs.readFile()` function buffers the entire file. To minimize memory costs,
when possible prefer streaming via `fs.createReadStream()`.

### File Descriptors
1. Any specified file descriptor has to support reading.
2. If a file descriptor is specified as the `path`, it will not be closed
automatically.
3. The reading will begin at the current position. If the file size is
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@ChALkeR ChALkeR Oct 24, 2018

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Clarify that the If ... is an example?
Something like E.g., if ... or For example, if ....

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Ack.

10 bytes and if six bytes are already read with this file descriptor, then
`readFile()` will return only the rest of the four bytes.

## fs.readFileSync(path[, options])
<!-- YAML
added: v0.1.8
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3540,14 +3543,32 @@ If `options` is a string, then it specifies the encoding:
fs.writeFile('message.txt', 'Hello Node.js', 'utf8', callback);
```

Any specified file descriptor has to support writing.

It is unsafe to use `fs.writeFile()` multiple times on the same file without
waiting for the callback. For this scenario, [`fs.createWriteStream()`][] is
recommended.

If a file descriptor is specified as the `file`, it will not be closed
### File Descriptors
1. Any specified file descriptor has to support writing.
2. If a file descriptor is specified as the `file`, it will not be closed
automatically.
3. The writing will begin at the current position. Basically, if there are
multiple write calls to a file descriptor and then a `writeFile()` call is
made with the same file descriptor, the data would have been appended.
For example, if we did something like this
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Maybe this line can be omitted as self-evident.

```js
fs.writeFile(fd, 'Hello', function(err) {
if (err) {
throw err;
}
fs.writeFile(fd, 'World', function(err) {
if (err) {
throw err;
}
// At this point, file will have `HelloWorld`.
});
});
```


## fs.writeFileSync(file, data[, options])
<!-- YAML
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3780,6 +3801,11 @@ returned.

The `FileHandle` has to support reading.

**Note:** If one or more `filehandle.read()` calls are made on a file handle
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@ChALkeR ChALkeR Oct 24, 2018

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We deliberately don't use **Note:** anymore afaik?

See #18592.

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It's not official, but there has definitely been an effort to use it much less. In this case, I think It can be dropped and you can just say what you have to say:

If one or more `filehandle.read()` calls are made on a file handle

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Makes sense. I removed the Note now.

and then a `filehandle.readFile()` call is made, the data will be read from
the current position till the end of the file. It doesn't always read from the
beginning of the file.

#### filehandle.stat([options])
<!-- YAML
added: v10.0.0
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3942,6 +3968,11 @@ The `FileHandle` has to support writing.
It is unsafe to use `filehandle.writeFile()` multiple times on the same file
without waiting for the `Promise` to be resolved (or rejected).

**Note:** If one or more `filehandle.write()` calls are made on a file handle
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Ditto.

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Ack

and then a `filehandle.writeFile()` call is made, the data will be written from
the current position till the end of the file. It doesn't always write from the
beginning of the file.

### fsPromises.access(path[, mode])
<!-- YAML
added: v10.0.0
Expand Down