💻 Acts as a file 🗂️ Like a file

file-like

1 5.8

An object programs can read from, write to, and move inside like an open file

adjective

Specialized

: similar a un archivo

Many libraries accept any file-like object providing read and seek methods instead of a real file.

Examples

In Python, a file-like object can be passed to libraries expecting an open file for reading.
To test streaming code, she created a file-like buffer that simulated network input and errors.
This object is file-like.
This file-like interface is very user-friendly.
In Python, a file-like object can be used with functions that require an open file for reading and writing.
To test her application, she implemented a file-like stream that mimicked file operations during processing.
When using the library, you can provide any file-like object that supports standard read, write, and seek methods.

Surface Forms

file-like positive

Morphology

file-like = file (transparent) = file + like

In computing contexts the adjectival meaning 'behaving like a file' is a direct extension of 'file' plus the productive suffix '-like', so the relation is straightforward for learners familiar with file operations.

Etymology

File-like combines the computer word file and the ending -like, meaning 'similar to'. A computer file is a place where data is kept and opened to 'read' or 'write', so a 'file-like' object behaves like a real file and can be used the same way.