readme.md (6543B)
1 # open 2 3 > Open stuff like URLs, files, executables. Cross-platform. 4 5 This is meant to be used in command-line tools and scripts, not in the browser. 6 7 If you need this for Electron, use [`shell.openPath()`](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/api/shell#shellopenpathpath) instead. 8 9 This package does not make any security guarantees. If you pass in untrusted input, it's up to you to properly sanitize it. 10 11 #### Why? 12 13 - Actively maintained. 14 - Supports app arguments. 15 - Safer as it uses `spawn` instead of `exec`. 16 - Fixes most of the original `node-open` issues. 17 - Includes the latest [`xdg-open` script](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/xdg-utils/-/blob/master/scripts/xdg-open.in) for Linux. 18 - Supports WSL paths to Windows apps. 19 20 ## Install 21 22 ```sh 23 npm install open 24 ``` 25 26 **Warning:** This package is native [ESM](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Modules) and no longer provides a CommonJS export. If your project uses CommonJS, you will have to [convert to ESM](https://gist.github.com/sindresorhus/a39789f98801d908bbc7ff3ecc99d99c) or use the [dynamic `import()`](https://v8.dev/features/dynamic-import) function. Please don't open issues for questions regarding CommonJS / ESM. 27 28 ## Usage 29 30 ```js 31 import open, {openApp, apps} from 'open'; 32 33 // Opens the image in the default image viewer and waits for the opened app to quit. 34 await open('unicorn.png', {wait: true}); 35 console.log('The image viewer app quit'); 36 37 // Opens the URL in the default browser. 38 await open('https://sindresorhus.com'); 39 40 // Opens the URL in a specified browser. 41 await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: 'firefox'}}); 42 43 // Specify app arguments. 44 await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: 'google chrome', arguments: ['--incognito']}}); 45 46 // Opens the URL in the default browser in incognito mode. 47 await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: apps.browserPrivate}}); 48 49 // Open an app. 50 await openApp('xcode'); 51 52 // Open an app with arguments. 53 await openApp(apps.chrome, {arguments: ['--incognito']}); 54 ``` 55 56 ## API 57 58 It uses the command `open` on macOS, `start` on Windows and `xdg-open` on other platforms. 59 60 ### open(target, options?) 61 62 Returns a promise for the [spawned child process](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_class_childprocess). You would normally not need to use this for anything, but it can be useful if you'd like to attach custom event listeners or perform other operations directly on the spawned process. 63 64 #### target 65 66 Type: `string` 67 68 The thing you want to open. Can be a URL, file, or executable. 69 70 Opens in the default app for the file type. For example, URLs opens in your default browser. 71 72 #### options 73 74 Type: `object` 75 76 ##### wait 77 78 Type: `boolean`\ 79 Default: `false` 80 81 Wait for the opened app to exit before fulfilling the promise. If `false` it's fulfilled immediately when opening the app. 82 83 Note that it waits for the app to exit, not just for the window to close. 84 85 On Windows, you have to explicitly specify an app for it to be able to wait. 86 87 ##### background <sup>(macOS only)</sup> 88 89 Type: `boolean`\ 90 Default: `false` 91 92 Do not bring the app to the foreground. 93 94 ##### newInstance <sup>(macOS only)</sup> 95 96 Type: `boolean`\ 97 Default: `false` 98 99 Open a new instance of the app even it's already running. 100 101 A new instance is always opened on other platforms. 102 103 ##### app 104 105 Type: `{name: string | string[], arguments?: string[]} | Array<{name: string | string[], arguments: string[]}>` 106 107 Specify the `name` of the app to open the `target` with, and optionally, app `arguments`. `app` can be an array of apps to try to open and `name` can be an array of app names to try. If each app fails, the last error will be thrown. 108 109 The app name is platform dependent. Don't hard code it in reusable modules. For example, Chrome is `google chrome` on macOS, `google-chrome` on Linux and `chrome` on Windows. If possible, use [`apps`](#apps) which auto-detects the correct binary to use. 110 111 You may also pass in the app's full path. For example on WSL, this can be `/mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe` for the Windows installation of Chrome. 112 113 The app `arguments` are app dependent. Check the app's documentation for what arguments it accepts. 114 115 ##### allowNonzeroExitCode 116 117 Type: `boolean`\ 118 Default: `false` 119 120 Allow the opened app to exit with nonzero exit code when the `wait` option is `true`. 121 122 We do not recommend setting this option. The convention for success is exit code zero. 123 124 ### openApp(name, options?) 125 126 Open an app. 127 128 Returns a promise for the [spawned child process](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_class_childprocess). You would normally not need to use this for anything, but it can be useful if you'd like to attach custom event listeners or perform other operations directly on the spawned process. 129 130 #### name 131 132 Type: `string` 133 134 The app name is platform dependent. Don't hard code it in reusable modules. For example, Chrome is `google chrome` on macOS, `google-chrome` on Linux and `chrome` on Windows. If possible, use [`apps`](#apps) which auto-detects the correct binary to use. 135 136 You may also pass in the app's full path. For example on WSL, this can be `/mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe` for the Windows installation of Chrome. 137 138 #### options 139 140 Type: `object` 141 142 Same options as [`open`](#options) except `app` and with the following additions: 143 144 ##### arguments 145 146 Type: `string[]`\ 147 Default: `[]` 148 149 Arguments passed to the app. 150 151 These arguments are app dependent. Check the app's documentation for what arguments it accepts. 152 153 ### apps 154 155 An object containing auto-detected binary names for common apps. Useful to work around [cross-platform differences](#app). 156 157 ```js 158 import open, {apps} from 'open'; 159 160 await open('https://google.com', { 161 app: { 162 name: apps.chrome 163 } 164 }); 165 ``` 166 167 `browser` and `browserPrivate` can also be used to access the user's default browser through [`default-browser`](https://github.com/sindresorhus/default-browser). 168 169 #### Supported apps 170 171 - [`chrome`](https://www.google.com/chrome) - Web browser 172 - [`firefox`](https://www.mozilla.org/firefox) - Web browser 173 - [`edge`](https://www.microsoft.com/edge) - Web browser 174 - `browser` - Default web browser 175 - `browserPrivate` - Default web browser in incognito mode 176 177 `browser` and `browserPrivate` only supports `chrome`, `firefox`, and `edge`. 178 179 ## Related 180 181 - [open-cli](https://github.com/sindresorhus/open-cli) - CLI for this module 182 - [open-editor](https://github.com/sindresorhus/open-editor) - Open files in your editor at a specific line and column