SoFunction
Updated on 2025-04-11

Introduction to Stream Module in Stream and how to use streams for data processing

1. Stream module in

  • The basic concept of flow
  • Stream is an abstract interface used to process streaming data.
  • It is an efficient data processing mechanism suitable for handling large files or high data throughput scenarios.
  • There are four main types of streams:
    • Readable: Readable stream, used to read data from source (such as files, HTTP responses).
    • Writable: Writable stream, used to write data to the target (such as files, HTTP requests).
    • Duplex: Bilateral streams, both readable and writable (such as TCP sockets).
    • Transform: Converted stream, a special bilateral stream that converts data (such as compressed streams) during writing and reading.

2. How to use streams for data processing

Basic example: Read file content and write to console

const fs = require('fs');
const http = require('http');
const url = '';
// Create a readable stream to read the fileconst readableStream = ('');
// Create a writable stream to write to the consoleconst writableStream = ;
// Pipe the readable stream to the writable stream(writableStream);

Code parsing

  • Create a readable stream that is used to read the file contents.
  • is a default writable stream for outputting data to the console.
  • .pipeThe method is the core feature of a stream, which is used to pass the output of one stream directly to another stream as input, efficiently without additional memory buffering.

Advanced example: Read data from HTTP requests and write files

const https = require('https');
const fs = require('fs');
// Create a write stream to save data to local fileconst fileStream = ('');
// Initiate HTTP request(url, (response) => {
  // Pipe the readable stream of HTTP response to the file to the write stream  (fileStream);
  // Listen to complete events  ('end', () => {
    ('The file download is complete!  ');
  });
});

Data transformation using Transform streams

const zlib = require('zlib');
const fs = require('fs');
// Create a readable stream (compressed file)const gzipStream = ('');
// Create a decompression streamconst unzip = ();
// Create a writable stream (decompressed file)const outStream = ('');
// Process flow through pipeline(unzip).pipe(outStream);

3. Rational use suggestions

Processing large files with stream

  • When dealing with super large files, avoid loading the entire file into memory, and use stream chunking instead.
  • Example: Extracting data from a large CSV file
const fs = require('fs');
const parse = require('csv-parse');
const parser = parse({ delimiter: ',' });
const readableStream = ('large_dataset.csv');
(parser);
('data', (row) => {
  (row); // Process each row of data});
('end', () => {
  ('The processing is completed!  ');
});

Used in combination with third-party modules

  • Stream can be used withrequest-promisefastifyThe modules are used in conjunction with each other to achieve efficient network communication and data transmission.
  • Example: Receive video streams and save them through the API
const request = require('request');
const fs = require('fs');
('/video')
  .pipe(('video.mp4'))
  .on('finish', () => {
    ('The video download is completed!  ');
  });

Implement flow multiplexing

  • passpumpThe module securely connects multiple streams to ensure the integrity of the stream in error and shutdown.
  • Example:
const pump = require('pump');
const fs = require('fs');
const http = require('http');
const server = ((req, res) => {
  const fileStream = ('');
  pump(fileStream, res, (err) => {
    if (err) {
      ('Streaming error:', err);
    }
  });
});
(3000);

4. Points to be noted in actual development

Error handling

  • Always listen to streamserrorEvents to avoid uncaught exceptions causing program crash.
  • Example:
const readable = ('');
('error', (err) => {
  ('An error occurred while reading the file:', err);
});

Resource Management

  • Make sure to call after the stream is used.destroy()Method orpumpAllow modules to release resources to prevent memory leakage.
  • Example:
const stream = ('');
('finish', () => {
  (); // Free up resources});

Avoid blocking event loops

  • The flow operation is asynchronous, ensuring proper buffering and backpressure mechanisms to avoid event loops being blocked.
  • Example: UsehighWaterMarkLimit buffer size
const readable = ('', { highWaterMark: 1024 * 1024 }); // 1MB

Performance optimization

  • Using streamingpipeThe method can significantly improve performance because it is optimized in-built.
  • Manually process streaming data events when needed (e.g.dataend) to implement more complex logic.

5. Summary

  • flowIt is one of the core mechanisms for medium and efficient data processing, suitable for large files and high throughput scenarios.
  • Read/write streams, pipe operations, convert streamsis the main way to use streams.
  • In actual development, we must make rational use of the advantages of flow, and pay attention to details such as error handling, resource management, and performance optimization.

In this article, how to use streams for data processing in Stream module? That’s all for the article. For more related streaming Stream module content, please search for my previous articles or continue browsing the related articles below. I hope everyone will support me in the future!