archiver vs adm-zip vs yazl vs zip-a-folder vs node-zip vs zip-dir: Node.js Zip Libraries Comparison

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

archiver	10,139,104	2,833	43.1 kB	149	9 months ago	MIT
adm-zip	5,707,776	2,064	121 kB	139	3 months ago	MIT
yazl	944,126	342	58.7 kB	19	21 days ago	MIT
zip-a-folder	196,722	71	107 kB	0	a month ago	MIT
node-zip	85,874	217	-	20	10 years ago	-
zip-dir	72,472	47	-	20	4 years ago	MIT

Package

Downloads

Stars

Size

Issues

Publish

License

archiver

10,139,104

2,833

43.1 kB

149

9 months ago

MIT

adm-zip

5,707,776

2,064

121 kB

139

3 months ago

MIT

yazl

944,126

342

58.7 kB

21 days ago

MIT

zip-a-folder

196,722

107 kB

a month ago

MIT

node-zip

85,874

217

10 years ago

zip-dir

72,472

4 years ago

MIT

Ease of Use

archiver:
archiver has a more complex API but offers extensive documentation, making it manageable for developers who need advanced features while still being user-friendly.
adm-zip:
adm-zip is designed for simplicity, allowing developers to quickly zip and unzip files with minimal code. Its straightforward API makes it accessible for beginners.
yazl:
yazl is straightforward for creating ZIP files but may require more understanding of streams for optimal use, which can be a slight hurdle for new users.
zip-a-folder:
zip-a-folder is very easy to use, requiring just a few lines of code to zip an entire folder, making it ideal for quick tasks.
node-zip:
node-zip provides a simple interface for basic ZIP operations, making it easy to implement without extensive setup or configuration.
zip-dir:
zip-dir offers a simple API for zipping directories, allowing developers to quickly implement folder zipping with minimal effort.

Performance

archiver:
archiver is optimized for performance, supporting streaming and allowing for efficient handling of large files and archives without excessive memory usage.
adm-zip:
adm-zip is not optimized for performance with large files or many files, as it loads everything into memory. It's best for smaller tasks.
yazl:
yazl excels in performance, particularly for large files, as it streams data directly to the output, minimizing memory overhead.
zip-a-folder:
zip-a-folder is efficient for zipping folders but may not be as performant as streaming libraries for very large directories.
node-zip:
node-zip is lightweight and performs adequately for basic tasks but may not handle large datasets efficiently compared to others.
zip-dir:
zip-dir is designed for flexibility and can handle larger directories efficiently, though it may not match the performance of specialized libraries like yazl.

Streaming Support

archiver:
archiver supports streaming, allowing you to create ZIP files on-the-fly, which is ideal for large datasets and reduces memory usage.
adm-zip:
adm-zip does not support streaming, which can be a limitation for applications needing to handle large files or archives efficiently.
yazl:
yazl is designed for streaming, allowing for efficient creation of ZIP files without loading everything into memory, making it suitable for large files.
zip-a-folder:
zip-a-folder does not support streaming; it is a simple utility for zipping folders without advanced features.
node-zip:
node-zip does not provide streaming capabilities, making it less suitable for scenarios where memory efficiency is critical.
zip-dir:
zip-dir does not inherently support streaming but can handle larger directories effectively in a straightforward manner.

Compression Formats

archiver:
archiver supports multiple compression formats, including ZIP and TAR, providing flexibility for different project requirements.
adm-zip:
adm-zip only supports the ZIP format, which may limit its use in scenarios requiring other compression types.
yazl:
yazl focuses on the ZIP format, providing efficient compression but lacking support for other formats.
zip-a-folder:
zip-a-folder only creates ZIP files, which is sufficient for most use cases but limits versatility.
node-zip:
node-zip is limited to the ZIP format, making it less versatile for projects needing various compression methods.
zip-dir:
zip-dir is also limited to the ZIP format, making it straightforward but not flexible for different compression needs.

Use Cases

archiver:
Best suited for applications that require complex archiving solutions, such as web servers generating downloadable content on-the-fly.
adm-zip:
Ideal for quick zipping and unzipping tasks in small applications or scripts where simplicity is key.
yazl:
Perfect for performance-critical applications that need to create large ZIP files efficiently, such as backup systems.
zip-a-folder:
Designed for quick and easy zipping of entire directories, making it ideal for file management tasks.
node-zip:
Great for lightweight applications needing basic ZIP functionality without additional overhead.
zip-dir:
Useful for zipping directories with customizable options, suitable for various file organization tasks.

Quick Start

// require modules const fs = require('fs'); const archiver = require('archiver'); // create a file to stream archive data to. const output = fs.createWriteStream(__dirname + '/example.zip'); const archive = archiver('zip', { zlib: { level: 9 } // Sets the compression level. }); // listen for all archive data to be written // 'close' event is fired only when a file descriptor is involved output.on('close', function() { console.log(archive.pointer() + ' total bytes'); console.log('archiver has been finalized and the output file descriptor has closed.'); }); // This event is fired when the data source is drained no matter what was the data source. // It is not part of this library but rather from the NodeJS Stream API. // @see: https://nodejs.org/api/stream.html#stream_event_end output.on('end', function() { console.log('Data has been drained'); }); // good practice to catch warnings (ie stat failures and other non-blocking errors) archive.on('warning', function(err) { if (err.code === 'ENOENT') { // log warning } else { // throw error throw err; } }); // good practice to catch this error explicitly archive.on('error', function(err) { throw err; }); // pipe archive data to the file archive.pipe(output); // append a file from stream const file1 = __dirname + '/file1.txt'; archive.append(fs.createReadStream(file1), { name: 'file1.txt' }); // append a file from string archive.append('string cheese!', { name: 'file2.txt' }); // append a file from buffer const buffer3 = Buffer.from('buff it!'); archive.append(buffer3, { name: 'file3.txt' }); // append a file archive.file('file1.txt', { name: 'file4.txt' }); // append files from a sub-directory and naming it `new-subdir` within the archive archive.directory('subdir/', 'new-subdir'); // append files from a sub-directory, putting its contents at the root of archive archive.directory('subdir/', false); // append files from a glob pattern archive.glob('file*.txt', {cwd:__dirname}); // finalize the archive (ie we are done appending files but streams have to finish yet) // 'close', 'end' or 'finish' may be fired right after calling this method so register to them beforehand archive.finalize();

Ease of Use

Performance

Streaming Support

Compression Formats

Use Cases

Archiver

Install

Quick Start

Formats