files must be decompressed with ``gunzip``.

After you have obtained a database and imported the module, call

``open_database`` with a path, or file descriptor (in the case of ``MODE_FD``),

``open_database`` with a path, or file descriptor (in the case of ``Mode.FD``),

to the database as the first argument. Optionally, you may pass a mode as the

second argument. The modes areexported from ``maxminddb``. Valid modes are:

* ``MODE_MMAP_EXT`` - use the C extension with memory map.

* ``MODE_MMAP`` - read from memory map. Pure Python.

* ``MODE_FILE`` - read database as standard file. Pure Python.

* ``MODE_MEMORY`` - load database into memory. Pure Python.

* ``MODE_FD`` - load database into memory from a file descriptor. Pure Python.

* ``MODE_AUTO`` - try ``MODE_MMAP_EXT``, ``MODE_MMAP``, ``MODE_FILE`` in that

second argument. The modes areavailable from ``maxminddb.Mode``. Valid modes are:

* ``Mode.MMAP_EXT`` - use the C extension with memory map.

* ``Mode.MMAP`` - read from memory map. Pure Python.

* ``Mode.FILE`` - read database as standard file. Pure Python.

* ``Mode.MEMORY`` - load database into memory. Pure Python.

* ``Mode.FD`` - load database into memory from a file descriptor. Pure Python.

* ``Mode.AUTO`` - try ``Mode.MMAP_EXT``, ``Mode.MMAP``, ``Mode.FILE`` in that

order. Default.

**NOTE**: When using ``MODE_FD``, it is the *caller's* responsibility to be

**NOTE**: When using ``Mode.FD``, it is the *caller's* responsibility to be

sure that the file descriptor gets closed properly. The caller may close the

file descriptor immediately after the ``Reader`` object is created.