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/dev/zero is a special file in Unix-like operating systems that provides an endless stream of null characters (ASCII code 0) when read. It is often used as a source of input data for various programs and processes, and can also be used to create files filled with null bytes. When data is written to /dev/zero, it is simply discarded, as the file has no physical storage on disk. This feature is useful for tasks such as testing disk write speeds, creating large files quickly, or initializing memory.