Instruction: Compare readFile and createReadStream in terms of their operation and use cases.
Context: This question measures the candidate's understanding of the file system in Node.js, focusing on the differences between reading files using readFile and streams.
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readFile is a method that reads the entire content of a file into memory before making it available. When you call readFile, Node.js loads the whole file content into RAM at once, and only upon completion, it invokes the callback function with the content. This operation suits smaller files where you need immediate access to the entire file content without worrying about the memory overhead. However, it's not efficient for larger files as it can quickly consume a significant amount of memory, potentially slowing down your application or even leading to a crash due to insufficient memory.
On the other hand, createReadStream establishes a stream interface with the file, allowing you to read it piece by piece. This method is incredibly efficient for...