File and Directory Deletion Strategies in Node.js
del, fs-extra, remove, and rimraf are Node.js utilities designed to handle file and directory deletion, a task that the native fs module makes cumbersome due to its lack of recursive removal support in older versions and asynchronous complexity. fs-extra is a comprehensive drop-in replacement for the native fs module that adds recursive delete capabilities alongside many other file operations. rimraf is a specialized, high-performance utility focused deeply on removing files and directories recursively, often used internally by other tools. del is a higher-level wrapper around rimraf that supports glob patterns for matching multiple files. remove is a simpler utility that has seen less maintenance activity compared to the others. Choosing the right tool depends on whether you need glob matching, a full file system utility suite, or a lightweight, dedicated deletion tool.
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File and Directory Deletion Strategies in Node.js: del vs fs-extra vs remove vs rimraf
Deleting files and directories in Node.js used to be a pain point. The native fs module required you to write recursive logic manually to remove a folder with contents. Over time, several packages emerged to solve this. del, fs-extra, remove, and rimraf are the most common solutions. They all aim to make deletion easy, but they serve different architectural needs. Let's compare how they handle real-world deletion tasks.
šļø Basic Deletion: Removing a Single Directory
All four packages allow you to remove a directory recursively. However, the API style and promise handling differ.
del uses a Promise-based API and accepts paths or patterns.
import del from 'del';
// Deletes the 'dist' directory
await del('dist');
fs-extra mirrors the native fs API but adds recursive support to remove.
import fs from 'fs-extra';
// Deletes the 'dist' directory recursively
await fs.remove('dist');
remove provides a simple function call for deletion.
import remove from 'remove';
// Deletes the 'dist' directory
remove('dist', function (err) {
if (err) throw err;
console.log('deleted');
});
rimraf is often used via its Promise wrapper or CLI, but the core is callback-based (though rimraf@5 supports promises natively).
import rimraf from 'rimraf';
// Deletes the 'dist' directory
await rimraf('dist');
šÆ Pattern Matching: Glob Support
One of the biggest differentiators is whether you can delete multiple files using patterns (globs) like *.log or **/tmp.
del has glob support built-in. This is its main selling point.
import del from 'del';
// Deletes all JS files in the dist folder
await del('dist/**/*.js');
fs-extra does not support globs natively. You must combine it with a library like globby.
import fs from 'fs-extra';
import { globby } from 'globby';
const files = await globby('dist/**/*.js');
await Promise.all(files.map(file => fs.remove(file)));
remove does not support globs. It handles single paths only.
import remove from 'remove';
// No glob support, must pass exact path
remove('dist/file.js', callback);
rimraf does not support globs natively in its core API. It expects a specific path.
import rimraf from 'rimraf';
// No glob support, must pass exact path
await rimraf('dist/file.js');
āļø API Style: Promises vs Callbacks
Modern Node.js development favors Promises and async/await. Legacy callback patterns can lead to "callback hell".
del is Promise-first. It returns a Promise by default.
import del from 'del';
// Returns a Promise
const deletedPaths = await del(['tmp', 'log']);
fs-extra supports both Promises and Callbacks. It feels like native fs.
import fs from 'fs-extra';
// Promise style
await fs.remove('tmp');
// Callback style
fs.remove('tmp', err => { /*...*/ });
remove is primarily Callback-based. This makes it feel older compared to modern alternatives.
import remove from 'remove';
// Callback style required
remove('tmp', (err) => {
if (err) console.error(err);
});
rimraf has evolved. Version 5+ is Promise-first, but older versions were callback-heavy.
import rimraf from 'rimraf';
// Modern Promise style (v5+)
await rimraf('tmp');
š”ļø Safety and Options: Dry Runs and Protection
Accidental deletion is a major risk in build scripts. Some packages offer options to prevent data loss.
del supports a dryRun option to see what would be deleted without actually deleting.
import del from 'del';
// Logs what would be deleted without removing
await del('dist', { dryRun: true });
fs-extra does not have a built-in dryRun option for remove. You must implement logic yourself.
import fs from 'fs-extra';
// No built-in dryRun, must check existence manually
if (await fs.pathExists('dist')) {
// Manually implement dry run logic
}
remove lacks advanced safety options like dryRun.
import remove from 'remove';
// No options for dry run
remove('dist', callback);
rimraf focuses on performance and reliability, not safety features like dryRun.
import rimraf from 'rimraf';
// No built-in dryRun option
await rimraf('dist');
š Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Cleaning Build Artifacts
You need to clear the dist folder before every build, including nested temp files.
- ā
Best choice:
del - Why? You can use
del('dist')ordel(['dist/**/*'])easily. ThedryRunoption helps debug CI scripts.
import del from 'del';
await del('dist');
Scenario 2: General File System Utility
Your app needs to copy, move, and delete files regularly.
- ā
Best choice:
fs-extra - Why? You get
remove,copy,move, andensureDirin one package. No need to mix libraries.
import fs from 'fs-extra';
await fs.remove('old-data');
await fs.copy('new-data', 'current-data');
Scenario 3: Internal CLI Tool
You are building a CLI that needs to wipe a cache directory reliably.
- ā
Best choice:
rimraf - Why? It is battle-tested, lightweight, and specifically optimized for removal. Many other tools use it under the hood.
import rimraf from 'rimraf';
await rimraf('.cache');
Scenario 4: Legacy Codebase
You are maintaining an older Node.js app that relies on callbacks.
- ā ļø Consider:
removeorrimraf(older versions) - Why? If you cannot refactor to Promises, these fit the callback pattern. However, upgrading to
fs-extrais recommended for long-term health.
import remove from 'remove';
remove('temp', (err) => { /* handle */ });
š Summary Table
| Feature | del | fs-extra | remove | rimraf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | Glob-based deletion | Full fs replacement | Basic deletion | Recursive deletion |
| Glob Support | ā Yes | ā No (use globby) | ā No | ā No |
| API Style | Promise | Promise + Callback | Callback | Promise (v5+) |
| Dry Run | ā Yes | ā No | ā No | ā No |
| Maintenance | ā Active | ā Very Active | ā ļø Low Activity | ā Very Active |
| Dependencies | Wraps rimraf | None (native wrapper) | Minimal | Minimal |
š” Final Recommendation
Think about the scope of your file operations:
- Need to delete by pattern? ā Use
del. It saves you from writing glob logic manually. - Need a full file system toolkit? ā Use
fs-extra. It standardizes all your file I/O. - Need a dedicated deletion tool? ā Use
rimraf. It is the industry standard for recursive removal. - Avoid
removefor new projects. It lacks the active maintenance and feature set of the others.
Final Thought: For most modern frontend build pipelines, del is the most convenient for cleaning tasks. For application logic involving file manipulation, fs-extra provides the best consistency. rimraf remains the engine under the hood for many of these tools, making it a solid dependency if you want to minimize abstraction layers.
How to Choose: fs-extra vs rimraf vs del vs remove
- fs-extra:
Choose
fs-extraif you want a complete replacement for the nativefsmodule that includesremovealongside other utilities likecopy,move, andensureDir. It is best for applications that need a broad set of file system operations without mixing nativefscalls with third-party helpers. - rimraf:
Choose
rimrafif you need a dedicated, high-performance tool specifically for recursive deletion without the overhead of a larger library. It is the standard choice for internal tooling, CLI packages, and scenarios where you need to ensure a directory is wiped clean reliably across different operating systems. - del:
Choose
delif you need to delete multiple files or directories using glob patterns (e.g.,dist/**/*.js). It is ideal for build scripts where you need to clean up artifacts matching specific patterns without writing complex traversal logic. It wrapsrimrafinternally, so you get its reliability with added convenience for matching. - remove:
Avoid
removefor new projects as it has significantly less maintenance activity and community adoption compared torimraforfs-extra. It offers basic recursive deletion but lacks the robust ecosystem and long-term support guarantees of the other options. Stick to more actively maintained alternatives for production systems.
Popular Comparisons
README for fs-extra
Node.js: fs-extra
fs-extra adds file system methods that aren't included in the native fs module and adds promise support to the fs methods. It also uses graceful-fs to prevent EMFILE errors. It should be a drop in replacement for fs.
Why?
I got tired of including mkdirp, rimraf, and ncp in most of my projects.
Installation
npm install fs-extra
Usage
CommonJS
fs-extra is a drop in replacement for native fs. All methods in fs are attached to fs-extra. All fs methods return promises if the callback isn't passed.
You don't ever need to include the original fs module again:
const fs = require('fs') // this is no longer necessary
you can now do this:
const fs = require('fs-extra')
or if you prefer to make it clear that you're using fs-extra and not fs, you may want
to name your fs variable fse like so:
const fse = require('fs-extra')
you can also keep both, but it's redundant:
const fs = require('fs')
const fse = require('fs-extra')
NOTE: The deprecated constants fs.F_OK, fs.R_OK, fs.W_OK, & fs.X_OK are not exported on Node.js v24.0.0+; please use their fs.constants equivalents.
ESM
There is also an fs-extra/esm import, that supports both default and named exports. However, note that fs methods are not included in fs-extra/esm; you still need to import fs and/or fs/promises seperately:
import { readFileSync } from 'fs'
import { readFile } from 'fs/promises'
import { outputFile, outputFileSync } from 'fs-extra/esm'
Default exports are supported:
import fs from 'fs'
import fse from 'fs-extra/esm'
// fse.readFileSync is not a function; must use fs.readFileSync
but you probably want to just use regular fs-extra instead of fs-extra/esm for default exports:
import fs from 'fs-extra'
// both fs and fs-extra methods are defined
Sync vs Async vs Async/Await
Most methods are async by default. All async methods will return a promise if the callback isn't passed.
Sync methods on the other hand will throw if an error occurs.
Also Async/Await will throw an error if one occurs.
Example:
const fs = require('fs-extra')
// Async with promises:
fs.copy('/tmp/myfile', '/tmp/mynewfile')
.then(() => console.log('success!'))
.catch(err => console.error(err))
// Async with callbacks:
fs.copy('/tmp/myfile', '/tmp/mynewfile', err => {
if (err) return console.error(err)
console.log('success!')
})
// Sync:
try {
fs.copySync('/tmp/myfile', '/tmp/mynewfile')
console.log('success!')
} catch (err) {
console.error(err)
}
// Async/Await:
async function copyFiles () {
try {
await fs.copy('/tmp/myfile', '/tmp/mynewfile')
console.log('success!')
} catch (err) {
console.error(err)
}
}
copyFiles()
Methods
Async
- copy
- emptyDir
- ensureFile
- ensureDir
- ensureLink
- ensureSymlink
- mkdirp
- mkdirs
- move
- outputFile
- outputJson
- pathExists
- readJson
- remove
- writeJson
Sync
- copySync
- emptyDirSync
- ensureFileSync
- ensureDirSync
- ensureLinkSync
- ensureSymlinkSync
- mkdirpSync
- mkdirsSync
- moveSync
- outputFileSync
- outputJsonSync
- pathExistsSync
- readJsonSync
- removeSync
- writeJsonSync
NOTE: You can still use the native Node.js methods. They are promisified and copied over to fs-extra. See notes on fs.read(), fs.write(), & fs.writev()
What happened to walk() and walkSync()?
They were removed from fs-extra in v2.0.0. If you need the functionality, walk and walkSync are available as separate packages, klaw and klaw-sync.
Third Party
CLI
fse-cli allows you to run fs-extra from a console or from npm scripts.
TypeScript
If you like TypeScript, you can use fs-extra with it: https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped/tree/master/types/fs-extra
File / Directory Watching
If you want to watch for changes to files or directories, then you should use chokidar.
Obtain Filesystem (Devices, Partitions) Information
fs-filesystem allows you to read the state of the filesystem of the host on which it is run. It returns information about both the devices and the partitions (volumes) of the system.
Misc.
- fs-extra-debug - Send your fs-extra calls to debug.
- mfs - Monitor your fs-extra calls.
Hacking on fs-extra
Wanna hack on fs-extra? Great! Your help is needed! fs-extra is one of the most depended upon Node.js packages. This project
uses JavaScript Standard Style - if the name or style choices bother you,
you're gonna have to get over it :) If standard is good enough for npm, it's good enough for fs-extra.
What's needed?
- First, take a look at existing issues. Those are probably going to be where the priority lies.
- More tests for edge cases. Specifically on different platforms. There can never be enough tests.
- Improve test coverage.
Note: If you make any big changes, you should definitely file an issue for discussion first.
Running the Test Suite
fs-extra contains hundreds of tests.
npm run lint: runs the linter (standard)npm run unit: runs the unit testsnpm run unit-esm: runs tests forfs-extra/esmexportsnpm test: runs the linter and all tests
When running unit tests, set the environment variable CROSS_DEVICE_PATH to the absolute path of an empty directory on another device (like a thumb drive) to enable cross-device move tests.
Windows
If you run the tests on the Windows and receive a lot of symbolic link EPERM permission errors, it's
because on Windows you need elevated privilege to create symbolic links. You can add this to your Windows's
account by following the instructions here: http://superuser.com/questions/104845/permission-to-make-symbolic-links-in-windows-7
However, I didn't have much luck doing this.
Since I develop on Mac OS X, I use VMWare Fusion for Windows testing. I create a shared folder that I map to a drive on Windows.
I open the Node.js command prompt and run as Administrator. I then map the network drive running the following command:
net use z: "\\vmware-host\Shared Folders"
I can then navigate to my fs-extra directory and run the tests.
Naming
I put a lot of thought into the naming of these functions. Inspired by @coolaj86's request. So he deserves much of the credit for raising the issue. See discussion(s) here:
- https://github.com/jprichardson/node-fs-extra/issues/2
- https://github.com/flatiron/utile/issues/11
- https://github.com/ryanmcgrath/wrench-js/issues/29
- https://github.com/substack/node-mkdirp/issues/17
First, I believe that in as many cases as possible, the Node.js naming schemes should be chosen. However, there are problems with the Node.js own naming schemes.
For example, fs.readFile() and fs.readdir(): the F is capitalized in File and the d is not capitalized in dir. Perhaps a bit pedantic, but they should still be consistent. Also, Node.js has chosen a lot of POSIX naming schemes, which I believe is great. See: fs.mkdir(), fs.rmdir(), fs.chown(), etc.
We have a dilemma though. How do you consistently name methods that perform the following POSIX commands: cp, cp -r, mkdir -p, and rm -rf?
My perspective: when in doubt, err on the side of simplicity. A directory is just a hierarchical grouping of directories and files. Consider that for a moment. So when you want to copy it or remove it, in most cases you'll want to copy or remove all of its contents. When you want to create a directory, if the directory that it's suppose to be contained in does not exist, then in most cases you'll want to create that too.
So, if you want to remove a file or a directory regardless of whether it has contents, just call fs.remove(path). If you want to copy a file or a directory whether it has contents, just call fs.copy(source, destination). If you want to create a directory regardless of whether its parent directories exist, just call fs.mkdirs(path) or fs.mkdirp(path).
Credit
fs-extra wouldn't be possible without using the modules from the following authors:
License
Licensed under MIT
Copyright (c) 2011-2024 JP Richardson