fclose

fclose is a function used in programming to close a file that has been opened for reading or writing. Think of it as ending your work with a document: it ensures all your changes are saved properly, resources are released, and the file is no longer accessible through your program. Properly closing files prevents data loss and helps maintain system stability. Without calling fclose, the file might stay in use, potentially causing issues for other programs or future operations. It's an essential step in managing files efficiently and safely within a program.