Want to harness the power of Python to access data stored in files? Look no further! Reading files is a fundamental skill for any Python programmer, and it's easier than you might think.
The simplest way is using the `open()` function with the `'r'` (read) mode. For example:
```python
with open('my_data.txt', 'r') as file:
content = file.read()
print(content)
```
This opens `my_data.txt` in read mode, assigns it to the variable `file`, reads the entire content using `.read()`, and prints it. The `with` statement ensures the file is automatically closed afterward, even if errors occur.
You can also read the file line by line using `file.readline()` or iterate over the lines using a loop:
```python
with open('my_data.txt', 'r') as file:
for line in file:
print(line.strip())
```
This reads and prints each line, removing any leading/trailing whitespace with `.strip()`. Mastering these simple techniques will open up a world of possibilities for data manipulation and analysis in Python. Start reading your files today!
