Do you want a better understanding of Buffer in Node.js? reading 4 notes - liz-kavalski-401-advanced-javascript/seattle-javascript-401n13 GitHub Wiki

Do you want a better understanding of Buffer in Node.js?

• Buffer is a class that was introduced as part of the Node.js API to make it possible to manipulate or interact with streams of binary data.

Binary

• Binary is simply a set or a collection of 1s and 0s.
• Each 1 and 0 are called a bit which is short for Binary digIT.
• Computer convert data into binary representation.
  • How do they do that?
• Including strings, images, and/or videos.
  • The computer convert them into a numbers and then to a binary representation.
• Character Sets are already defined rules of what exact number represents each character.
  • Their are different definitions rules such as Unicode and ASCII.
    • JavaScript get along with the Unicode.
• Their are also rules about how to turn numbers to represent binary.
• Character Encoding is the UTF-8, which states that characters should be encoded in bytes.
  • Bytes is set of eight bits — eight 1s and 0s.

Stream

• Stream in Node.js simply means a sequence of data being moved from one point to the other over time.
  • Don't need all the data before starting to process.
• Data is broken down into chunks.

Buffer

• The buffer is the 'waiting area' of information before it streams.
• Is like a bus stop.
• Node.js will automatically create during a stream
• Can create and manipulate your own buffer.