> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileread.md).

# FileRead

Reads the contents of a file and returns it as a string or binary object.

When called with a file path (string, Path, or File), the entire file is read from disk. HTTP URLs are also supported as string paths. When called with an open BoxFile object (from {@code fileOpen()}), the remaining content is read from the current stream position to EOF. For text mode files, returns a String. For binary mode files, returns a byte\[]. The caller is responsible for closing the file object afterward.

## Method Signature

```
FileRead(filepath=[any], charsetOrBufferSize=[string], buffersize=[integer])
```

### Arguments

| Argument              | Type      | Required | Description                                                                                                               | Default |
| --------------------- | --------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `filepath`            | `any`     | `true`   | A file path (string, Path, File, or HTTP URL) to read entirely, or an open BoxFile object to read remaining content from. |         |
| `charsetOrBufferSize` | `string`  | `false`  | Either the charset to use when reading string files, or the buffer size.                                                  |         |
| `buffersize`          | `integer` | `false`  | Number of bytes or chars to read. Only applies to a BoxFile object.                                                       |         |

## Examples

### Read a file into a binary object

Uses expandPath to grab a file in current directory.

```java
binaryContent = fileReadBinary( expandPath( "./file.pdf" ) );

```

### Additional Examples

```java
binaryContent = fileReadBinary( expandPath( "./image.jpg" ) );

```

## Related

* [ContractPath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/contractpath.md)
* [CreateTempDirectory](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/createtempdirectory.md)
* [CreateTempFile](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/createtempfile.md)
* [DirectoryCopy](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorycopy.md)
* [DirectoryCreate](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorycreate.md)
* [DirectoryDelete](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorydelete.md)
* [DirectoryExists](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directoryexists.md)
* [DirectoryList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorylist.md)
* [DirectoryMove](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directorymove.md)
* [DirectoryRename](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/directoryrename.md)
* [ExpandPath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/expandpath.md)
* [FileAppend](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileappend.md)
* [FileClose](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileclose.md)
* [FileCopy](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filecopy.md)
* [FileDelete](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filedelete.md)
* [FileExists](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileexists.md)
* [FileGetMimeType](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filegetmimetype.md)
* [FileInfo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileinfo.md)
* [FileIsEOF](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileiseof.md)
* [FileMove](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filemove.md)
* [FileOpen](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileopen.md)
* [FileReadBinary](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filereadbinary.md)
* [FileReadLine](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filereadline.md)
* [FileSeek](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileseek.md)
* [FileSetAccessMode](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetaccessmode.md)
* [FileSetAttribute](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetattribute.md)
* [FileSetLastModified](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filesetlastmodified.md)
* [FileSkipBytes](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/fileskipbytes.md)
* [FileWrite](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filewrite.md)
* [FileWriteLine](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/filewriteline.md)
* [GetCanonicalPath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getcanonicalpath.md)
* [GetDirectoryFromPath](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getdirectoryfrompath.md)
* [GetFileInfo](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/getfileinfo.md)
* [getTempFile](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/gettempfile.md)
* [PropertyFile](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/io/propertyfile.md)


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