C# Stream Explained: Read, Write & Use Cases

In C#, the Stream class serves as the base class for all input/output operations. It represents an abstract class for byte sequences that can be used for reading and writing data. Some of the main uses of the Stream class include:

1. Reading data: By utilizing the Read method of the Stream class, it is possible to retrieve a specified number of bytes from the stream into a byte array.
2. Write data: Using the Write method of the Stream class, you can write the specified byte array to the stream.
3. Positioning operation: The Stream class offers the Seek method to move to a specific position in the stream.
4. Closing and releasing resources: The Close method of the Stream class can be used to close the stream and release resources.
5. Asynchronous operations: The Stream class also offers methods for asynchronously reading and writing data, such as BeginRead and EndRead, which can be used to asynchronously read data in a background thread.

The Stream class is an abstract class that cannot be instantiated directly, but instead concrete stream classes (such as FileStream, MemoryStream, etc.) are used to implement specific input and output operations. By using the Stream class, different types of data read and write operations can be achieved, increasing code flexibility and reusability.