Readfile()

Introduction

In PHP, the readfile() function is used to read the contents of a file and output it to the browser. It is a convenient way to display the contents of a file without having to read the file into memory first. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about the readfile() function, including its syntax, parameters, and examples of how it can be used.

Understanding the readfile() Function

The readfile() function in PHP is used to read the contents of a file and output it to the browser. It takes a single parameter, which is the name of the file to be read.

When you use readfile(), PHP reads the contents of the file directly into the output buffer and sends it to the browser. This means that the entire contents of the file are not loaded into memory at once, which can be useful for working with large files.

Syntax of the readfile() Function

The syntax of the readfile() function is as follows:

readfile($filename);

Here, $filename is the name of the file to be read.

Examples of Using readfile()

Let's take a look at some examples of how the readfile() function can be used in PHP.

Example 1: Displaying a Text File

<?php

readfile('example.txt');

This example displays the contents of the example.txt file in the browser.

Example 2: Downloading a File

<?php

header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="example.txt"');
readfile('example.txt');

In this example, the header() function is used to set the content type to "application/octet-stream", which tells the browser that the file should be downloaded rather than displayed. The Content-Disposition header is used to set the filename of the downloaded file. Finally, readfile() is used to output the contents of the file.

Conclusion

The readfile() function in PHP is a convenient way to read the contents of a file and output it to the browser. We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of how readfile() works and how it can be used in your own projects.