Python Tips — How to Hand Large Files (2024)

Python has robust support for file handling. However, when dealing with large files, standard file handling techniques might not be efficient due to the potential for high memory usage. Opening large files in Python has a variety of use cases, especially in domains like data analysis, machine learning, and system administration where large datasets are common. Here are a few examples:

• Data Analysis and Machine Learning: Large datasets are common in these fields. For example, you might be working with a multi-gigabyte log file or a large CSV file filled with data for your machine learning model. In such cases, you need to open and process these files efficiently, often reading the file chunk-by-chunk or line-by-line to fit into memory.
• Text Processing: If you’re working with large text files like a book, a dump of web pages, or a large batch of customer reviews, you’ll need to open these files to perform operations like search, replace, or count.
• Log Analysis: System administrators often work with large server log files to diagnose issues, monitor system performance, or analyze user behavior. Python, with its powerful text processing capabilities, can be an excellent tool for this job.

In this article, I will outline some best practices for working with large files in Python, ensuring efficient and…