Open stuff like URLs, files, executables. Cross-platform.
npm install open> Open stuff like URLs, files, executables. Cross-platform.
This is meant to be used in command-line tools and scripts, not in the browser.
If you need this for Electron, use shell.openPath() instead.
This package does not make any security guarantees. If you pass in untrusted input, it's up to you to properly sanitize it.
#### Why?
- Actively maintained.
- Supports app arguments.
- Safer as it uses spawn instead of exec.
- Fixes most of the original node-open issues.
- Includes the latest xdg-open script for Linux.
- Supports WSL paths to Windows apps.
``sh`
npm install open
Warning: This package is native ESM and no longer provides a CommonJS export. If your project uses CommonJS, you will have to convert to ESM or use the dynamic import() function. Please don't open issues for questions regarding CommonJS / ESM.
`js
import open, {openApp, apps} from 'open';
// Opens the image in the default image viewer and waits for the opened app to quit.
await open('unicorn.png', {wait: true});
console.log('The image viewer app quit');
// Opens the URL in the default browser.
await open('https://sindresorhus.com');
// Opens the URL in a specified browser.
await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: 'firefox'}});
// Specify app arguments.
await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: 'google chrome', arguments: ['--incognito']}});
// Opens the URL in the default browser in incognito mode.
await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: {name: apps.browserPrivate}});
// Open an app.
await openApp('xcode');
// Open an app with arguments.
await openApp(apps.chrome, {arguments: ['--incognito']});
`
It uses the command open on macOS, start on Windows and xdg-open on other platforms.
Returns a promise for the spawned child process. 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.
#### target
Type: string
The thing you want to open. Can be a URL, file, or executable.
Opens in the default app for the file type. For example, URLs opens in your default browser.
#### options
Type: object
##### wait
Type: boolean\false
Default:
Wait for the opened app to exit before fulfilling the promise. If false it's fulfilled immediately when opening the app.
Note that it waits for the app to exit, not just for the window to close.
On Windows, you have to explicitly specify an app for it to be able to wait.
> [!WARNING]
> When opening URLs in browsers while the browser is already running, the wait option will not work as expected. Browsers use a single-instance architecture where new URLs are passed to the existing process, causing the command to exit immediately. Use the newInstance option on macOS to force a new browser instance, or avoid using wait with browsers.
##### background (macOS only)
Type: boolean\false
Default:
Do not bring the app to the foreground.
##### newInstance (macOS only)
Type: boolean\false
Default:
Open a new instance of the app even it's already running.
A new instance is always opened on other platforms.
##### app
Type: {name: string | string[], arguments?: string[]} | Array<{name: string | string[], arguments: string[]}>
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.
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 which auto-detects the correct binary to use.
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.
The app arguments are app dependent. Check the app's documentation for what arguments it accepts.
##### allowNonzeroExitCode
Type: boolean\false
Default:
Allow the opened app to exit with nonzero exit code when the wait option is true.
We do not recommend setting this option. The convention for success is exit code zero.
Open an app.
Returns a promise for the spawned child process. 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.
#### name
Type: string
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 which auto-detects the correct binary to use.
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.
#### options
Type: object
Same options as open except app and with the following additions:
##### arguments
Type: string[]\[]
Default:
Arguments passed to the app.
These arguments are app dependent. Check the app's documentation for what arguments it accepts.
An object containing auto-detected binary names for common apps. Useful to work around cross-platform differences.
`js
import open, {apps} from 'open';
await open('https://google.com', {
app: {
name: apps.chrome
}
});
`
browser and browserPrivate can also be used to access the user's default browser through default-browser.
#### Supported apps
- chrome - Web browser
- firefox - Web browser
- edge - Web browser
- brave - Web browser
- browser - Default web browserbrowserPrivate
- - Default web browser in incognito mode
browser and browserPrivate only supports chrome, firefox, edge, and brave.
The package automatically uses Windows integration (PowerShell) when available, and falls back to xdg-open if PowerShell is inaccessible (e.g., sandboxed environments).
To use Linux GUI apps instead:
`javascript``
await open('https://example.com', {app: {name: 'xdg-open'}});
- open-cli - CLI for this module
- open-editor - Open files in your editor at a specific line and column
- reveal-file - Reveal a file in the system file manager