File handling in programming involves reading from and writing to files to store and retrieve data. When you open a file for reading, the program can access its contents and process the information as needed. For instance, reading a file can involve loading its text into memory, which can then be analyzed or manipulated. Conversely, writing to a file allows the program to save data to a specified location on disk. This can include creating new files or updating existing ones with new content.

When a file is opened for writing, it can either create a new file or overwrite an existing one. The process of writing involves specifying the content to be saved and then executing the write operation to store this content in the file. After operations are completed, it’s crucial to close the file to ensure all data is properly saved and to free up system resources.

In summary, file handling enables programs to manage data storage efficiently, providing the capability to both read from and write to files as needed.