express-dirname

A lightweight utility to reliably access __dirname in Express.js applications, supporting both CommonJS and ES Modules. This package simplifies working with file paths in Node.js environments where __dirname may not be available, such as ES Modules.

Features

• Seamless support for CommonJS and ES Modules.
• TypeScript-ready with included type definitions.
• Zero dependencies for a lightweight footprint.
• Simple API to get the directory path in any Node.js environment.

Installation

Install the package using npm:

npm install express-dirname

Usage

CommonJS Example

In a CommonJS Express.js application, use __filename as the argument to getDirname:

const express = require('express');
const path = require('path');
const { getDirname } = require('express-dirname');

const app = express();
const __dirname = getDirname(__filename);

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'public', 'index.html'));
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000'));

ES Modules Example

In an ES Modules Express.js application, pass import.meta.url to getDirname:

import express from 'express';
import path from 'path';
import { getDirname } from 'express-dirname';

const app = express();
const __dirname = getDirname(import.meta.url);

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'public', 'index.html'));
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000'));

TypeScript Support

The package includes TypeScript definitions, so it works out of the box with TypeScript:

import express from 'express';
import path from 'path';
import { getDirname } from 'express-dirname';

const app = express();
const __dirname: string = getDirname(import.meta.url);

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'public', 'index.html'));
});

app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on port 3000'));

API

getDirname(metaUrl: string): string

Returns the directory path of the current module.

• Parameters:
  • metaUrl: In CommonJS, pass __filename. In ES Modules, pass import.meta.url. For CommonJS, if no argument is provided, it falls back to __dirname.
• Returns: A string representing the directory path.
• Throws: In ES Modules, an error is thrown if metaUrl is not provided or invalid.

Why Use express-dirname?

Node.js ES Modules do not provide __dirname by default, which can complicate file path operations in Express.js applications. This package offers a unified solution to access the directory path across both CommonJS and ES Modules, ensuring compatibility and ease of use.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch: git checkout -b feature/your-feature.
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m 'Add your feature'.
4. Push to the branch: git push origin feature/your-feature.
5. Open a pull request.

See CONTRIBUTING.md for more details.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Issues

Found a bug or have a feature request? Please open an issue on the GitHub Issues page.

Author

Created by Rakshit Waghmare.