This document summarizes the node-fs library, which adds recursive directory creation functionality to Node.js' native fs module. It introduces node-fs as addressing a common problem, uses polymorphism to extend the original fs functions with a recursive flag, and provides examples of its recursive mkdir usage. The document also notes that Alibaba.com, the Digital Repository of Ireland, and VirtuOz use node-fs and that future plans include adding more file system operations and parallel processing support.

1. Bruno Pedro
30 January 2013
BarcelonaJS node-fs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dippy_duck/4562866718

2. Bruno Pedro
Web and Cloud Computing Technologist with
over ten years’ experience. CTO of Nubera,
the company behind GetApp and CloudWork.
http://brunopedro.com/

3. Summary
• Why node-fs?
• Polymorphic approach
• Who’s using it?
• Future plans
• Questions

4. Why node-fs?
• recursively creating directories is a
common problem
• different libraries and npm packages
• none of them was simple and easy to use

5. The solution
• simple and easy to use library
• augments fs functionality
• polymorphic approach
• available as npm package
• should be part of node’s core!

6. Polymorphic approach
• Function overloading
fs
+mkdir()
+mkdirSync()
node-fs
+mkdir()
+mkdirSync()

7. Polymorphic approach
• Original fs functions
fs.mkdir
=
function
(path,
mode,
callback)
fs.mkdirSync
=
function
(path,
mode)

8. Polymorphic approach
• Ad-hoc polymorphism
fs.mkdir
=
function
(path,
mode,
recursive,
callback)
fs.mkdirSync
=
function
(path,
mode,
recursive)

9. Example usage
$
npm
install
node-­‐fs

10. Example usage
var
fs
=
require('node-­‐fs');
//
//
Example
with
recursion
-­‐-­‐
notice
the
parameter
//
right
before
the
callback
function.
//
fs.mkdir('/tmp/example_dir/first/second',
0777,
true,
function
(err)
{
if
(err)
{
console.log(err);
}
else
{
console.log('Directory
created');
}
});
//
//
Synchronous
example
with
recursion.
//
fs.mkdirSync('/tmp/example_sync/first/second',
0777,
true);

11. Who’s using it?
• Alibaba.com
• Digital Repository
of Ireland
• VirtuOz

12. Future plans
• Add more fs operations
• unlink, rmdir, chmod, chown, [lf]*stat
• node-pfs: parallel fs operations
• Wanna help? Fork node-fs!

13. Questions?
Thank you!