FilterReader (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: java.io.FilterReader class
Date: 2026-04-17

compact1, compact2, compact3
java.io

## Class FilterReader

- java.lang.Object
- - java.io.Reader
  - - java.io.FilterReader

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    Closeable, AutoCloseable, Readable
  Direct Known Subclasses:
    PushbackReader

      public abstract class FilterReader
      extends Reader

  Abstract class for reading filtered character streams. The abstract class `FilterReader` itself provides default methods that pass all requests to the contained stream. Subclasses of `FilterReader` should override some of these methods and may also provide additional methods and fields.
  Since:
    JDK1.1

- - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected Reader` | `in` The underlying character-input stream.

    - ### Fields inherited from class java.io.Reader

      `lock`

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Modifier | Constructor and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected` | `FilterReader(Reader in)` Creates a new filtered reader.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `close()` Closes the stream and releases any system resources associated with it.
    `void` | `mark(int readAheadLimit)` Marks the present position in the stream.
    `boolean` | `markSupported()` Tells whether this stream supports the mark() operation.
    `int` | `read()` Reads a single character.
    `int` | `read(char[] cbuf, int off, int len)` Reads characters into a portion of an array.
    `boolean` | `ready()` Tells whether this stream is ready to be read.
    `void` | `reset()` Resets the stream.
    `long` | `skip(long n)` Skips characters.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.io.Reader

      `read, read`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### in

          protected Reader in

      The underlying character-input stream.

  - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### FilterReader

          protected FilterReader(Reader in)

      Creates a new filtered reader.
      Parameters:
        `in` - a Reader object providing the underlying stream.
      Throws:
        `NullPointerException` - if `in` is `null`

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### read

          public int read()
                   throws IOException

      Reads a single character.
      Overrides:
        `read` in class `Reader`
      Returns:
        The character read, as an integer in the range 0 to 65535 (`0x00-0xffff`), or -1 if the end of the stream has been reached
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### read

          public int read(char[] cbuf,
                          int off,
                          int len)
                   throws IOException

      Reads characters into a portion of an array.
      Specified by:
        `read` in class `Reader`
      Parameters:
        `cbuf` - Destination buffer
        `off` - Offset at which to start storing characters
        `len` - Maximum number of characters to read
      Returns:
        The number of characters read, or -1 if the end of the stream has been reached
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### skip

          public long skip(long n)
                    throws IOException

      Skips characters.
      Overrides:
        `skip` in class `Reader`
      Parameters:
        `n` - The number of characters to skip
      Returns:
        The number of characters actually skipped
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### ready

          public boolean ready()
                        throws IOException

      Tells whether this stream is ready to be read.
      Overrides:
        `ready` in class `Reader`
      Returns:
        True if the next read() is guaranteed not to block for input, false otherwise. Note that returning false does not guarantee that the next read will block.
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### markSupported

          public boolean markSupported()

      Tells whether this stream supports the mark() operation.
      Overrides:
        `markSupported` in class `Reader`
      Returns:
        true if and only if this stream supports the mark operation.

    - #### mark

          public void mark(int readAheadLimit)
                    throws IOException

      Marks the present position in the stream.
      Overrides:
        `mark` in class `Reader`
      Parameters:
        `readAheadLimit` - Limit on the number of characters that may be read while still preserving the mark. After reading this many characters, attempting to reset the stream may fail.
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### reset

          public void reset()
                     throws IOException

      Resets the stream.
      Overrides:
        `reset` in class `Reader`
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

    - #### close

          public void close()
                     throws IOException

      Description copied from class: `Reader`
      Closes the stream and releases any system resources associated with it. Once the stream has been closed, further read(), ready(), mark(), reset(), or skip() invocations will throw an IOException. Closing a previously closed stream has no effect.
      Specified by:
        `close` in interface `Closeable`
      Specified by:
        `close` in interface `AutoCloseable`
      Specified by:
        `close` in class `Reader`
      Throws:
        `IOException` - If an I/O error occurs

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