Scanner vs. BufferedReader in Java: Which is Faster for File Reading?

Assessing the Performance and Applicability of Scanner vs. BufferedReader for File Reading in Java

Introduction

Accessing character-based data from files presents the options of using either Scanner or BufferedReader in Java. While both methods are prevalent, this discussion aims to elucidate their performance capabilities and guide the selection between them.

Does Scanner Perform as Well as BufferedReader?

Contrary to popular belief, Scanner does not exhibit comparable performance to BufferedReader. This disparity stems from the fact that BufferedReader employs a buffering mechanism to minimize physical disk operations, enhancing its processing efficiency.

Choosing Scanner vs. BufferedReader

The selection between Scanner and BufferedReader hinges on specific needs and requirements.

• When to Use Scanner:

  • When parsing tokens from the file contents is necessary.
  • Example: Parse numeric values or extract substrings from text.

• When to Use BufferedReader:

  • When efficient reading of raw character data without parsing is desired.
  • Example: Load large text files for display or processing.

Integration between Scanner and BufferedReader

Notably, Scanner can leverage BufferedReader's buffering capabilities by utilizing it as the underlying character source. This hybrid approach combines the tokenization capabilities of Scanner with the performance benefits of BufferedReader.

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