inquirer vs enquirer vs prompt-sync

Interactive CLI Prompt Libraries for Node.js

enquirer, inquirer, and prompt-sync are all Node.js libraries designed to collect user input from the command line through interactive prompts. They enable developers to build rich terminal experiences by supporting various prompt types like text input, confirmation dialogs, multiple-choice selections, and more. While they share the same high-level goal, they differ significantly in architecture, feature set, performance characteristics, and use cases.

Package	Downloads	Stars	Size	Issues	Publish	License

inquirer	41,585,225	21,424	51.8 kB	46	11 days ago	MIT
enquirer	23,911,504	7,930	189 kB	206	3 years ago	MIT
prompt-sync	214,045	224	-	26	6 years ago	MIT

Interactive CLI Prompt Libraries: enquirer vs inquirer vs prompt-sync

When building command-line tools in Node.js, you often need to ask users questions — whether it’s confirming a destructive action, selecting from options, or entering credentials. The three main libraries for this (enquirer, inquirer, and prompt-sync) solve the same problem but with very different trade-offs in design, performance, and capability. Let’s compare them head-to-head.

⚙️ Core Architecture: Async vs Sync, Lightweight vs Feature-Rich

enquirer is built for speed and simplicity. It uses native Node.js readline under the hood and avoids heavy dependencies. All prompts are promise-based and non-blocking.

// enquirer: async/await with built-in prompt types
const { Select } = require('enquirer');

const prompt = new Select({
  name: 'color',
  message: 'Pick a color',
  choices: ['red', 'blue', 'green']
});

const answer = await prompt.run();
console.log(answer); // e.g., 'blue'

inquirer offers a richer UI layer with extensive customization. It relies on external packages like chalk and rxjs, which increases bundle size but enables animated interfaces and complex interactions.

// inquirer: question object array with async flow
const inquirer = require('inquirer');

const answers = await inquirer.prompt([
  {
    type: 'list',
    name: 'color',
    message: 'Pick a color',
    choices: ['red', 'blue', 'green']
  }
]);

console.log(answers.color); // e.g., 'blue'

prompt-sync takes a radically different approach: it blocks execution until the user responds, using readlineSync internally. This makes it feel like window.prompt() in browsers.

// prompt-sync: synchronous, no async needed
const prompt = require('prompt-sync')();

const color = prompt('Pick a color (red/blue/green): ');
console.log(color); // e.g., 'blue'

💡 Key Insight: prompt-sync’s sync model breaks Node.js’s event loop best practices and can cause issues in complex applications. Use it only for trivial scripts.

🧩 Prompt Types and Built-in Features

Not all libraries support the same kinds of questions.

Text Input with Masking

enquirer: Has a dedicated Password prompt that hides input.

const { Password } = require('enquirer');
const pass = await new Password({ message: 'Enter password' }).run();

inquirer: Supports type: 'password' in prompt objects.

const answers = await inquirer.prompt([
  { type: 'password', name: 'pass', message: 'Enter password' }
]);

prompt-sync: No built-in masking. You’d have to implement hiding manually (which isn’t reliable cross-platform).

// prompt-sync: no native password support
const pass = prompt('Password: '); // visible as typed

Multiple Choice & Autocomplete

enquirer: Offers Select, MultiSelect, and Autocomplete out of the box.

const { Autocomplete } = require('enquirer');
const choice = await new Autocomplete({
  name: 'command',
  message: 'Search command',
  choices: ['build', 'test', 'deploy']
}).run();

inquirer: Supports list, checkbox, and third-party autocomplete plugins.

await inquirer.prompt([
  { type: 'checkbox', name: 'tags', choices: ['a', 'b', 'c'] }
]);

prompt-sync: Only supports raw string input. You must parse and validate choices yourself.

const input = prompt('Choose (a/b/c): ');
if (!['a','b','c'].includes(input)) throw new Error('Invalid');

🐢 Performance and Startup Time

Because enquirer avoids heavy dependencies, it loads faster than inquirer. In CLI tools where milliseconds matter (e.g., frequently run commands), this difference is noticeable.

prompt-sync has minimal overhead but blocks the thread — so while it “starts fast,” it freezes your program until input is given.

🔒 Validation and Error Handling

All three support input validation, but with different ergonomics.

enquirer lets you pass a validate function that returns true (valid) or an error message (invalid):

const { Input } = require('enquirer');
const email = await new Input({
  message: 'Email?',
  validate: value => /.+@.+/.test(value) || 'Invalid email'
}).run();

inquirer uses a similar pattern inside prompt objects:

await inquirer.prompt([
  {
    type: 'input',
    name: 'email',
    message: 'Email?',
    validate: input => /.+@.+/.test(input) || 'Invalid email'
  }
]);

prompt-sync has no built-in validation. You must loop manually:

let email;
do {
  email = prompt('Email? ');
  if (!/.+@.+/.test(email)) console.log('Invalid email');
} while (!/.+@.+/.test(email));

This quickly becomes tedious for anything beyond basic checks.

🌍 TTY and Non-TTY Environment Support

Some environments (like CI systems or Docker containers) don’t provide a real TTY, which can break interactive prompts.

enquirer: Gracefully degrades in non-TTY environments. You can supply default answers via environment variables or config.
inquirer: May hang or throw errors in non-TTY contexts unless you explicitly disable interactivity.
prompt-sync: Often fails in non-TTY environments because it tries to read from stdin synchronously without fallbacks.

🛠️ Real-World Recommendations

For Production CLI Tools (e.g., `create-app` generators)

✅ Use enquirer — it’s fast, reliable, and handles edge cases well. Its API is clean and doesn’t bloat your dependency tree.

For Rich Interactive Wizards (e.g., Yeoman-like scaffolders)

✅ Use inquirer — if you need animated spinners, custom renderers, or deep UI control, its ecosystem justifies the cost.

For Simple Scripts or Learning Exercises

✅ Use prompt-sync — only when you want to avoid async complexity in throwaway code. Never in published packages.

📊 Summary Table

Feature	`enquirer`	`inquirer`	`prompt-sync`
Async/Await	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No (sync only)
Password Masking	✅ Built-in	✅ Built-in	❌ Not supported
Multiple Choice	✅ Select/MultiSelect	✅ list/checkbox	❌ Manual parsing
Autocomplete	✅ Native	✅ Via plugins	❌ No
Validation	✅ Function-based	✅ Function-based	❌ Manual loop required
Non-TTY Safe	✅ Yes	⚠️ Needs config	❌ Often fails
Dependencies	🟢 Minimal	🔴 Heavy (chalk, rxjs…)	🟢 Very light
Startup Speed	⚡ Fast	🐢 Slower	⚡ Fast (but blocks)

💡 Final Advice

Don’t pick based on popularity alone. Ask:

Do I need async behavior? → Avoid prompt-sync.
Do I need rich UI elements like lists or autocomplete? → Skip prompt-sync.
Is startup performance critical? → Prefer enquirer over inquirer.
Am I building something long-lived or widely distributed? → Avoid prompt-sync entirely.

In 2024, enquirer is the best default choice for most new CLI projects. inquirer remains viable for legacy or highly customized interfaces. prompt-sync should be reserved for quick demos or internal scripts where simplicity trumps robustness.

inquirer:
Choose inquirer if you’re working on an interactive CLI application that requires highly customizable UI components and you don’t mind slightly slower startup due to its larger dependency footprint. Its plugin ecosystem and mature API make it well-suited for complex workflows like scaffolding tools or configuration wizards.
enquirer:
Choose enquirer if you need a fast, modern, and actively maintained library with built-in support for advanced prompt types (like autocomplete, multiselect, and password masking) and minimal dependencies. It’s ideal for CLI tools where startup speed and reliability matter, especially in environments that may not support TTY features fully.
prompt-sync:
Choose prompt-sync if you need synchronous, blocking input without callbacks or async/await — useful for simple scripts, educational examples, or environments where asynchronous I/O complicates control flow. However, avoid it in production CLIs that require responsive interfaces or advanced prompt types, as it lacks features like selection lists or validation.

inquirer

enquirer

prompt-sync

Inquirer.js

A collection of common interactive command line user interfaces.

[!IMPORTANT] This is the legacy version of Inquirer.js. While it still receives maintenance, it is not actively developed. For the new Inquirer, see @inquirer/prompts.

Documentation
1. Installation
2. Examples
3. Methods
4. Objects
5. Question
6. Answers
7. Separator
8. Prompt Types
User Interfaces and Layouts
1. Reactive Interface
Support
Known issues
News
Contributing
License
Plugins

Goal and Philosophy

Inquirer.js strives to be an easily embeddable and beautiful command line interface for Node.js (and perhaps the "CLI Xanadu").

Inquirer.js should ease the process of

providing error feedback
asking questions
parsing input
validating answers
managing hierarchical prompts

Note: Inquirer.js provides the user interface and the inquiry session flow. If you're searching for a full blown command line program utility, then check out commander, vorpal or args.

Documentation

Installation

npm	yarn
`npm install inquirer`	`yarn add inquirer`

import inquirer from 'inquirer';

inquirer
  .prompt([
    /* Pass your questions in here */
  ])
  .then((answers) => {
    // Use user feedback for... whatever!!
  })
  .catch((error) => {
    if (error.isTtyError) {
      // Prompt couldn't be rendered in the current environment
    } else {
      // Something else went wrong
    }
  });

Examples (Run it and see it)

Check out the packages/inquirer/examples/ folder for code and interface examples.

yarn node packages/inquirer/examples/pizza.js
yarn node packages/inquirer/examples/checkbox.js
# etc...

Methods

[!WARNING] Those interfaces are not necessary for modern Javascript, while still maintained, they're depreciated. We highly encourage you to adopt the more ergonomic and modern API with @inquirer/prompts. Both inquirer and @inquirer/prompts are usable at the same time, so you can progressively migrate.

`inquirer.prompt(questions, answers) -> promise`

Launch the prompt interface (inquiry session)

questions (Array) containing Question Object (using the reactive interface, you can also pass a Rx.Observable instance)
answers (object) contains values of already answered questions. Inquirer will avoid asking answers already provided here. Defaults {}.
returns a Promise

`inquirer.registerPrompt(name, prompt)`

name (string) name of the this new prompt. (used for question type)
prompt (object) the prompt object itself (the plugin)

`inquirer.createPromptModule() -> prompt function`

Create a self contained inquirer module. If you don't want to affect other libraries that also rely on inquirer when you overwrite or add new prompt types.

const prompt = inquirer.createPromptModule();

prompt(questions).then(/* ... */);

Objects

Question

A question object is a hash containing question related values:

type: (String) Type of the prompt. Defaults: input - Possible values: input, number, confirm, list, rawlist, expand, checkbox, password, editor
name: (String) The name to use when storing the answer in the answers hash. If the name contains periods, it will define a path in the answers hash.
message: (String|Function) The question to print. If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers. Defaults to the value of name (followed by a colon).
default: (String|Number|Boolean|Array|Function) Default value(s) to use if nothing is entered, or a function that returns the default value(s). If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers.
choices: (Array|Function) Choices array or a function returning a choices array. If defined as a function, the first parameter will be the current inquirer session answers. Array values can be simple numbers, strings, or objects containing a name (to display in list), a value (to save in the answers hash), and a short (to display after selection) properties. The choices array can also contain a Separator.
validate: (Function) Receive the user input and answers hash. Should return true if the value is valid, and an error message (String) otherwise. If false is returned, a default error message is provided.
filter: (Function) Receive the user input and answers hash. Returns the filtered value to be used inside the program. The value returned will be added to the Answers hash.
transformer: (Function) Receive the user input, answers hash and option flags, and return a transformed value to display to the user. The transformation only impacts what is shown while editing. It does not modify the answers hash.
when: (Function, Boolean) Receive the current user answers hash and should return true or false depending on whether or not this question should be asked. The value can also be a simple boolean.
pageSize: (Number) Change the number of lines that will be rendered when using list, rawList, expand or checkbox.
prefix: (String) Change the default prefix message.
suffix: (String) Change the default suffix message.
askAnswered: (Boolean) Force to prompt the question if the answer already exists.
loop: (Boolean) Enable list looping. Defaults: true
waitUserInput: (Boolean) Flag to enable/disable wait for user input before opening system editor - Defaults: true

default, choices(if defined as functions), validate, filter and when functions can be called asynchronously. Either return a promise or use this.async() to get a callback you'll call with the final value.

{
  /* Preferred way: with promise */
  filter() {
    return new Promise(/* etc... */);
  },

  /* Legacy way: with this.async */
  validate: function (input) {
    // Declare function as asynchronous, and save the done callback
    const done = this.async();

    // Do async stuff
    setTimeout(function() {
      if (typeof input !== 'number') {
        // Pass the return value in the done callback
        done('You need to provide a number');
      } else {
        // Pass the return value in the done callback
        done(null, true);
      }
    }, 3000);
  }
}

Answers

A key/value hash containing the client answers in each prompt.

Key The name property of the question object
Value (Depends on the prompt)
- confirm: (Boolean)
- input : User input (filtered if filter is defined) (String)
- number: User input (filtered if filter is defined) (Number)
- rawlist, list : Selected choice value (or name if no value specified) (String)

Separator

A separator can be added to any choices array:

// In the question object
choices: [ "Choice A", new inquirer.Separator(), "choice B" ]

// Which'll be displayed this way
[?] What do you want to do?
 > Order a pizza
   Make a reservation
   --------
   Ask opening hours
   Talk to the receptionist

The constructor takes a facultative String value that'll be use as the separator. If omitted, the separator will be --------.

Separator instances have a property type equal to separator. This should allow tools façading Inquirer interface from detecting separator types in lists.

Prompt types

Note:: allowed options written inside square brackets ([]) are optional. Others are required.

List - `{type: 'list'}`

Take type, name, message, choices[, default, filter, loop] properties. (Note: default must be set to the index or value of one of the entries in choices)

List prompt

Raw List - `{type: 'rawlist'}`

Take type, name, message, choices[, default, filter, loop] properties. (Note: default must be set to the index of one of the entries in choices)

Raw list prompt

Expand - `{type: 'expand'}`

Take type, name, message, choices[, default] properties. Note: default must be the index of the desired default selection of the array. If default key not provided, then help will be used as default choice

Note that the choices object will take an extra parameter called key for the expand prompt. This parameter must be a single (lowercased) character. The h option is added by the prompt and shouldn't be defined by the user.

See examples/expand.js for a running example.

Checkbox - `{type: 'checkbox'}`

Take type, name, message, choices[, filter, validate, default, loop] properties. default is expected to be an Array of the checked choices value.

Choices marked as {checked: true} will be checked by default.

Choices whose property disabled is truthy will be unselectable. If disabled is a string, then the string will be outputted next to the disabled choice, otherwise it'll default to "Disabled". The disabled property can also be a synchronous function receiving the current answers as argument and returning a boolean or a string.

Checkbox prompt

Confirm - `{type: 'confirm'}`

Take type, name, message, [default, transformer] properties. default is expected to be a boolean if used.

Confirm prompt

Input - `{type: 'input'}`

Take type, name, message[, default, filter, validate, transformer] properties.

Input prompt

Input - `{type: 'number'}`

Take type, name, message[, default, filter, validate, transformer] properties.

Password - `{type: 'password'}`

Take type, name, message, mask,[, default, filter, validate] properties.

Password prompt

Note that mask is required to hide the actual user input.

Editor - `{type: 'editor'}`

Take type, name, message[, default, filter, validate, postfix, waitUserInput] properties

Launches an instance of the users preferred editor on a temporary file. Once the user exits their editor, the contents of the temporary file are read in as the result. The editor to use is determined by reading the $VISUAL or $EDITOR environment variables. If neither of those are present, notepad (on Windows) or vim (Linux or Mac) is used.

The postfix property is useful if you want to provide an extension.

Use in Non-Interactive Environments

prompt() requires that it is run in an interactive environment. (I.e. One where process.stdin.isTTY is true). If prompt() is invoked outside of such an environment, then prompt() will return a rejected promise with an error. For convenience, the error will have a isTtyError property to programmatically indicate the cause.

Reactive interface

Internally, Inquirer uses the JS reactive extension to handle events and async flows.

This mean you can take advantage of this feature to provide more advanced flows. For example, you can dynamically add questions to be asked:

const prompts = new Rx.Subject();
inquirer.prompt(prompts);

// At some point in the future, push new questions
prompts.next({
  /* question... */
});
prompts.next({
  /* question... */
});

// When you're done
prompts.complete();

And using the return value process property, you can access more fine grained callbacks:

inquirer.prompt(prompts).ui.process.subscribe(onEachAnswer, onError, onComplete);

Support (OS Terminals)

You should expect mostly good support for the CLI below. This does not mean we won't look at issues found on other command line - feel free to report any!

Mac OS:
- Terminal.app
- iTerm
Windows (Known issues):
- Windows Terminal
- ConEmu
- cmd.exe
- Powershell
- Cygwin
Linux (Ubuntu, openSUSE, Arch Linux, etc):
- gnome-terminal (Terminal GNOME)
- konsole

Known issues

nodemon - Makes the arrow keys print gibrish on list prompts. Workaround: Add { stdin : false } in the configuration file or pass --no-stdin in the CLI. Please refer to this issue
grunt-exec - Calling a node script that uses Inquirer from grunt-exec can cause the program to crash. To fix this, add to your grunt-exec config stdio: 'inherit'. Please refer to this issue
Windows network streams - Running Inquirer together with network streams in Windows platform inside some terminals can result in process hang. Workaround: run inside another terminal. Please refer to this issue

News on the march (Release notes)

Please refer to the GitHub releases section for the changelog

Contributing

Unit test Please add a unit test for every new feature or bug fix. yarn test to run the test suite.

Documentation Add documentation for every API change. Feel free to send typo fixes and better docs!

We're looking to offer good support for multiple prompts and environments. If you want to help, we'd like to keep a list of testers for each terminal/OS so we can contact you and get feedback before release. Let us know if you want to be added to the list (just tweet to @vaxilart) or just add your name to the wiki

License

Plugins

You can build custom prompts, or use open sourced ones. See @inquirer/core documentation for building custom prompts.

You can either call the custom prompts directly (preferred), or you can register them (depreciated):

import customPrompt from '$$$/custom-prompt';

// 1. Preferred solution with new plugins
const answer = await customPrompt({ ...config });

// 2. Depreciated interface (or for old plugins)
inquirer.registerPrompt('custom', customPrompt);
const answers = await inquirer.prompt([
  {
    type: 'custom',
    ...config,
  },
]);

When using Typescript and registerPrompt, you'll also need to define your prompt signature. Since Typescript is static, we cannot infer available plugins from function calls.

import customPrompt from '$$$/custom-prompt';

declare module 'inquirer' {
  interface QuestionMap {
    // 1. Easiest option
    custom: Parameters<typeof customPrompt>[0];

    // 2. Or manually define the prompt config
    custom_alt: { message: string; option: number[] };
  }
}