``'a'`` open for writing, appending to the end of the file if it exists
``'b'`` binary mode
``'t'`` text mode (default)
- ``'+'`` open a disk file for updating (reading and writing)
+ ``'+'`` open for updating (reading and writing)
========= ===============================================================
The default mode is ``'r'`` (open for reading text, synonym of ``'rt'``).
- For binary read-write access, the mode ``'w+b'`` opens and truncates the file
- to 0 bytes. ``'r+b'`` opens the file without truncation.
+ Modes ``'w+'`` and ``'w+b'`` opens and truncates the file. Modes ``'r+'``
+ and ``'r+b'`` opens the file with no truncation.
As mentioned in the :ref:`io-overview`, Python distinguishes between binary
and text I/O. Files opened in binary mode (including ``'b'`` in the *mode*