What is the purpose of FileStream in C#?

In C#, the FileStream class is used for reading and writing files. It provides methods and properties that allow developers to access and manipulate the contents of a file directly.

Specifically, FileStream serves several purposes:

1. Read file: By using a FileStream, a developer can open a file and read bytes or characters from it, allowing them to read the contents of a file in either byte stream or character stream format, such as reading text data from a text file.
2. Writing to a file: Using FileStream allows developers to open a file and write bytes or characters to it. This enables developers to write data to a file in either byte stream or character stream, such as writing text data to a text file.
3. Positioning file pointers: FileStream offers methods and properties that allow developers to position the file pointer within a file. This enables developers to perform random access within a file, reading or writing data at specific locations.
4. FileStream provides developers with methods and properties to control file operations such as opening, closing, copying, and deleting. This allows developers to perform various operations on files and ensure that the file is correctly closed after the operation is completed.

In general, FileStream provides a convenient way for file reading and writing operations in C#, allowing developers to access and manipulate file contents directly without needing to worry about the underlying file operation details.