What is a .PKL file?
A .PKL file is a type of file specifically used in Python programming. It is created by a Python module called "pickle." This module helps in saving Python objects, like lists, dictionaries, or even custom objects, into files that can be stored on a disk. This process of saving objects into files is known as "pickling," and the reverse process, where the file is read back into a Python program, is called "unpickling." When you pickle an object, it is converted into a format that can be written to a file. This format is a stream of bytes. Later, when you need to use this object again in your program, you can read the file, or "unpickle" it, to convert it back to its original format in Python.
The main reason to use pickling is to save space when storing data or to send data over a network efficiently. For example, if you have a large list in your program that you want to save and use later, you can pickle it into a .PKL file. This file can then be stored on your computer or sent to someone else over the internet.
To create a .PKL file, you use the `dump()` method provided by the pickle module. To read a .PKL file and load the data back into your program, you use the `load()` method. These methods handle the conversion of Python objects to byte streams and back.
The pickle module in Python supports different protocols for pickling. These are: - Version 0: The original ASCII protocol, compatible with older versions of Python. - Version 1: An older binary format, also compatible with previous Python versions. - Version 2: A more efficient format introduced in Python 2.3, especially for new-style classes.
It's important to note that .PKL files can also be named with the .PICKLE or .P extensions, but .PKL is more common.
To open and work with a .PKL file, you need to use Python and the pickle module. There are no standard programs outside of Python programming that typically open .PKL files because they are specifically designed for Python object serialization.
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