Node.js path.format() Method (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 8 Oct, 2021

The path.format() method is used to return a path string from the given path object. The method has some rules where one path property gets more priority over another:

• The "root" parameter of the path object is ignored if the "dir" parameter is provided.
• The "ext" and "name" parameter of the path object are ignored if the "base" parameter is provided.

Syntax:

path.format( pathObject )

Parameters: This function accepts single parameter pathObject that contains the details of the path. It has the following parameters:

• dir: It specifies the directory name of the path object.
• root: It specifies the root of the path object.
• base: It specifies the base of the path object.
• name: It specifies the file name of the path object.
• ext: It specifies the file extension of the path object.

Return Value: It returns a path string from the provided path object. Below programs illustrate the path.format() method in Node.js:Example 1: On POSIX

javascript `

// Import the path module const path = require('path');

// CASE 1 // If "dir", "root" and "base" are all given, // "root" is ignored. let path1 = path.format({ root: "/ignored/root/", dir: "/home/user/personal", base: "details.txt", }); console.log("Path 1:", path1);

// CASE 2 // If "dir" is not specified then "root" will be used // If only "root" is provided // platform separator will not be included. // "ext" will be ignored. let path2 = path.format({ root: "/", base: "game.dat", ext: ".noextension", }); console.log("Path 2:", path2);

// CASE 3 // If "base" is not specified // "name" and "ext" will be used let path3 = path.format({ root: "/images/", name: "image", ext: ".jpg", }); console.log("Path 3:", path3);

`

Output:

Path 1: /home/user/personal/details.txt Path 2: /game.dat Path 3: /images/image.jpg

Example 2: On Windows

javascript `

// Import the path module const path = require('path');

// CASE 1 // If "dir", "root" and "base" are all given, // "root" is ignored. let path1 = path.format({ root: "C:\ignored\root", dir: "website\dist", base: "index.html", }); console.log("Path 1:", path1);

// CASE 2 // If "dir" is not specified then "root" // will be used // If only "root" is provided platform // separator will not be included. // "ext" will be ignored. let path2 = path.format({ root: "C:\", base: "style.css", ext: ".ignored", }); console.log("Path 2:", path2);

// CASE 3 // If "base" is not specified // "name" and "ext" will be used let path3 = path.format({ root: "website\", name: "main", ext: ".js", }); console.log("Path 3:", path3);

`

Output:

Path 1: website\dist\index.html Path 2: C:\style.css Path 3: website\main.js

Reference: https://nodejs.org/api/path.html#path_path_format_pathobject