| # I/O in the JavaTM 2 Platform | Documentation Contents

> I/O functionality of the JavaTM 2 Platform provides for system input and output through data streams, serialization and the file system. In v 1.4, a new I/O (NIO) API was introduced that provides new features and improved performance.

> Class `java.io.File` in the Java 2 platform is a true abstract representation of file and directory pathnames. Class `File` supports temporary files, conversion of abstract pathnames to URL's, comparability, and access to additional file attributes.

> ### Java 2 Platform I/O Features

> - New I/O (NIO) API introduced in v1.4, which caused some changes in the `java.io` package
> - Features of `java.io.File` added in the Java 2 Platform v1.2
> - Other changes made to the `java.io` package in v1.2

> ### Features introduced in JDKTM 1.1

> For completeness, a discussion of the JDK 1.1 I/O changes can be found here:

> - Character Streams

> ### Additional I/O reference material

> - java.io Package (API Documentation)
> - java.nio Package (API Documentation)
> - Troubleshooting tips

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