[Home](./index.md) > [bitburner](./bitburner.md) > [NetscriptPort](./bitburner.netscriptport.md) > [read](./bitburner.netscriptport.read.md)
## NetscriptPort.read() method
Shift an element out of the port.
Signature:
```typescript
read(): PortData;
```
Returns:
[PortData](./bitburner.portdata.md)
the data read.
## Remarks
RAM cost: 0 GB
This function will remove the first element from the port and return it. If the port is empty, then the string “NULL PORT DATA” will be returned.