diff --git a/scripts/test.sh b/scripts/test.sh
index 56a7c1c..5dbded7 100755
--- a/scripts/test.sh
+++ b/scripts/test.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ COMPILE_COMMANDS=(
     "$CXX_WITH_FLAGS src/test/nbt_write_string_failure_mode.cpp -I./include -Lbin/lib -l:nbt.so -l:javacompat.so -o bin/test/nbt_write_string_failure_mode"
     "$CXX_WITH_FLAGS src/test/nbt_tags.cpp -I./include -Lbin/lib -l:nbt.so -l:javacompat.so -o bin/test/nbt_tags"
     "$CXX_WITH_FLAGS src/test/nbt_size_helpers.cpp -I./include -Lbin/lib -l:nbt.so -l:javacompat.so -o bin/test/nbt_size_helpers"
+    "$CXX_WITH_FLAGS src/test/file.cpp -I./include -Lbin/lib -l:file.so -o bin/test/file"
 )
 for command in ${!COMPILE_COMMANDS[@]}; do
     echo "${COMPILE_COMMANDS[command]}"
diff --git a/src/lib/error.hpp b/src/lib/error.hpp
index 58c44eb..5380322 100644
--- a/src/lib/error.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/error.hpp
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ namespace ErrorCodes {
 
     const uint8_t INVALID_TYPE = 8;
 
+    //file errors
+    const uint8_t FILE_READ_FAILED = 9;
+    const uint8_t FILE_NOT_FOUND = 10;
+
     const uint8_t UNIMPLEMENTED = 254;
 
     const uint8_t UNKNOWN = 255;
diff --git a/src/lib/file.cpp b/src/lib/file.cpp
index d163e33..11d30cf 100644
--- a/src/lib/file.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/file.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright 2022, FOSS-VG Developers and Contributers
 //
 // Author(s):
-//   <add authors here>
+//   Bodgemaster, Shwoomple
 //
 // This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 // under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
@@ -16,4 +16,156 @@
 // version 3 along with this program.
 // If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.en.html
 
+#include <fstream>
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <exception>
+#include <vector>
+#include <string> 
+#include "tinyutf8/tinyutf8.h"
 #include "file.hpp"
+#include "error.h"
+
+File::File(std::string path, char mode, uint64_t cursorPosition): mode(mode), path(path), cursorPosition(cursorPosition){
+    switch(this->mode){
+        case 'w':
+        case 'm':
+            this->fileStream.open(path, std::fstream::out | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        case 'r':
+        case 'e':
+            this->fileStream.open(path, std::fstream::in | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        case 'a':
+            this->fileStream.open(path, std::fstream::app | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+
+    try{
+        std::filesystem::path filePath = path;
+        this->size = ErrorOr<uint64_t>(std::filesystem::file_size(filePath));
+    }catch(std::exception e){
+        this->size = ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, ErrorCodes::FILE_NOT_FOUND);
+    }
+}
+
+File::File(const File& file){
+    this->mode = file.getMode();
+    this->isOpen = file.isOpen;
+    this->eof = file.eof;
+    this->path = file.path;
+    this->cursorPosition = file.cursorPosition;
+    this->size = file.size;
+    
+    if(this->isOpen){
+        this->open();
+    }
+}
+
+File& File::operator=(const File& file){
+    File cpFile(file);
+    return cpFile;
+}
+
+void File::open(){
+    switch(this->mode){
+        case 'w':
+        case 'm':
+            this->fileStream.open(this->path, std::fstream::out | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        case 'r':
+        case 'e':
+            this->fileStream.open(this->path, std::fstream::in | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        case 'a':
+            this->fileStream.open(this->path, std::fstream::app | std::fstream::binary);
+            break;
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+
+    try{
+        std::filesystem::path filePath = this->path;
+        this->size = ErrorOr<uint64_t>(std::filesystem::file_size(filePath));
+    }catch(std::exception e){
+        this->size = ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, ErrorCodes::FILE_NOT_FOUND);
+    }
+}
+
+void File::close(){
+    this->fileStream.close();
+    this->isOpen = false;
+}
+
+char File::getMode() const{
+    return this->mode;
+}
+
+ErrorOr<uint8_t> File::readByte(){
+    if(this->size.isError){
+        return ErrorOr<uint8_t>(true, this->size.errorCode);
+    }
+
+    this->cursorPosition += 1;
+    this->fileStream.seekg(this->cursorPosition);
+
+    char* byte = new char;
+    try{
+        this->fileStream.read(byte, 1);
+        delete byte;
+    }catch(std::exception e){
+        return ErrorOr<uint8_t>(true, ErrorCodes::FILE_READ_FAILED);
+    }
+    return ErrorOr<uint8_t>((uint8_t) *byte);
+}
+
+ErrorOr<std::vector<uint8_t>> File::read(uint64_t bytes){
+    if(this->size.isError){
+        return ErrorOr<std::vector<uint8_t>>(true, this->size.errorCode);
+    }
+
+    this->cursorPosition += 1;
+    this->fileStream.seekg(this->cursorPosition);
+
+    char* buffer = new char[bytes];
+    std::vector<uint8_t> data; 
+    try{
+        this->fileStream.read(buffer, bytes);
+        for(uint64_t i=0; i<bytes; i++){
+            data.push_back((uint8_t) buffer[i]);
+        }
+        delete[] buffer;
+    }catch(std::exception e){
+        return ErrorOr<std::vector<uint8_t>>(true, ErrorCodes::FILE_READ_FAILED);
+    }
+    return ErrorOr<std::vector<uint8_t>>(data);
+}
+
+ErrorOr<tiny_utf8::string> File::readString(uint64_t bytes){
+    if(this->size.isError){
+        return ErrorOr<tiny_utf8::string>(true, this->size.errorCode);
+    }
+
+    ErrorOr<std::vector<uint8_t>> data = this->read(bytes);
+    if(data.isError){
+        return ErrorOr<tiny_utf8::string>(true, data.errorCode);
+    }
+    std::string s;
+    for(auto byte: data.value){
+        s.push_back(byte);
+    }
+    return ErrorOr<tiny_utf8::string>(tiny_utf8::string(s));
+}
+
+ErrorOr<File*> File::open(std::string path, char mode, uint64_t startPosition){
+    File *file = new File(path, mode, startPosition);
+    file->isOpen = true;
+    file->eof = false;
+
+    if(file->size.isError){
+        return ErrorOr<File*>(true, file->size.errorCode); //if file is not found
+    }
+
+    return ErrorOr<File*>(file);
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/file.hpp b/src/lib/file.hpp
index 6c08359..d0e5229 100644
--- a/src/lib/file.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/file.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright 2022, FOSS-VG Developers and Contributers
 //
 // Author(s):
-//   BodgeMaster
+//   BodgeMaster, Shwoomple
 //
 // This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 // under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
@@ -18,31 +18,39 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <string>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <vector>
 #include <tinyutf8/tinyutf8.h>
 
 #include "error.hpp"
 
+
 class File {
     private:
         //TODO: add other necessary internals to this section as needed
         char mode;
+        std::fstream fileStream;
         //TODO: add other necessary details to the constructor as needed
         // For example, the fstream (or whatever mechanism is used) needs
         // to be handed over from File::open() to the File object.
         //
         // Remember to add a destructor to the public section if pointers
         // are to be used.
-        File(char mode, uint64_t cursorPosition);
+        File(std::string path, char mode, uint64_t cursorPosition);
     public:
         bool isOpen;
         bool eof;
+        std::string path;
         uint64_t cursorPosition;
         // may be error if not a regular file or size cannot be determined
         ErrorOr<uint64_t> size;
 
+        File() = default;
+        File(const File& file); 
+        File& operator=(const File& file);
         void open();
         void close();
+        char getMode() const;
 
         // only applicable to read and edit modes
         // moves the cursor to the right of the read section
@@ -86,5 +94,5 @@ class File {
         //
         // A startPosition of 0xFFFFFFFF is considered to be the end of
         // the file whatever its size.
-        static ErrorOr<File> open(std::string path, char mode, uint64_t startPosition=0);
-};
+        static ErrorOr<File*> open(std::string path, char mode, uint64_t startPosition=0);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/file.cpp b/src/test/file.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48bd9e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/file.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Copyright 2022, FOSS-VG Developers and Contributers
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation, version 3.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied
+// warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+// See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// version 3 along with this program.
+// If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.en.html
+
+#include "assert.hpp"
+#include "tinyutf8/tinyutf8.h"
+#include "../lib/file.hpp"
+
+int main(){
+    std::cout << "################################################################################" << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "File tests" << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "################################################################################" << std::endl;
+    File *file;
+    
+    //read test
+    file = File::open("../../resources/unicode_data/normal_utf-8", 'r').value;
+    tiny_utf8::string data = file->readString(file->size.value).value;
+    std::cout << file->size.isError << std::endl;
+    std::cout << data << std::endl;
+}
\ No newline at end of file