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File and Path Pattern Matching in JavaScript
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File and Path Pattern Matching in JavaScript

fast-glob, glob, micromatch, and minimatch are all JavaScript packages used for file and path pattern matching, but they operate at different layers of abstraction. minimatch and micromatch are pure pattern-matching libraries that determine whether a string matches a glob pattern, without interacting with the file system. micromatch is a modern, faster, and more feature-complete successor to minimatch. In contrast, glob and fast-glob are file system walkers that use pattern matchers internally to find actual files on disk. glob relies on minimatch and is considered legacy, while fast-glob uses micromatch and offers better performance, modern features like .gitignore support, and a cleaner async API.

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Fast-Glob vs Glob vs Micromatch vs Minimatch: A Practical Guide for File Matching in JavaScript

When you need to find files in your project — whether it’s for a build tool, test runner, or file watcher — you’ll likely reach for one of these four packages. While they all deal with patterns and file paths, they solve different problems at different layers of the stack. Let’s break down what each does, how they relate, and when to use which.

🧩 Core Responsibilities: What Each Package Actually Does

minimatch

minimatch is the original pattern matcher. It implements Bash-style glob patterns (like *.js or src/**/*.ts) and tells you whether a single string matches a given pattern.

It doesn’t touch the file system — it only compares strings.

// minimatch: string-to-pattern matching only
const minimatch = require('minimatch');

console.log(minimatch('src/app.js', 'src/*.js')); // true
console.log(minimatch('src/utils/helper.js', 'src/*.js')); // false

micromatch

micromatch is a modern, faster, more feature-rich replacement for minimatch. It supports the same basic glob syntax but adds advanced features like extglobs (+(a|b)), braces (file.{js,ts}), and better Windows path handling.

Like minimatch, it only matches strings — no file system access.

// micromatch: enhanced string pattern matching
const micromatch = require('micromatch');

console.log(micromatch.isMatch('src/app.js', 'src/*.js')); // true
console.log(micromatch.isMatch('test.spec.js', '*.@(spec|test).js')); // true (extglob)

glob

glob combines file system traversal with pattern matching. It uses minimatch under the hood to find actual files on disk that match a pattern.

This is the classic “find files” utility used in many CLI tools and older build systems.

// glob: finds real files using fs + minimatch
const glob = require('glob');

const files = glob.sync('src/**/*.js');
console.log(files); // ['src/app.js', 'src/utils/helper.js', ...]

fast-glob

fast-glob is a modern, high-performance alternative to glob. Instead of minimatch, it uses micromatch for pattern matching, and it’s built with async-first design, better defaults, and optimizations for large directory trees.

It also supports advanced features like .gitignore respect and multiple patterns.

// fast-glob: fast, modern file finding
const fg = require('fast-glob');

const files = fg.sync(['src/**/*.js', 'lib/*.ts'], { dot: false });
console.log(files); // ['src/app.js', 'lib/core.ts', ...]

🔗 How They Relate: The Dependency Chain

There’s a clear hierarchy here:

  • minimatch and micromatch are pure pattern matchers (no I/O).
  • glob = file system walker + minimatch.
  • fast-glob = optimized file system walker + micromatch.

In fact, fast-glob was created to address performance and correctness issues in glob, much like micromatch improved upon minimatch.

⚙️ Feature Comparison: Real Code Examples

1. Basic File Matching

All four can be used to match or find .js files, but only two actually read the disk.

// minimatch – only checks one string
minimatch('app.js', '*.js'); // true

// micromatch – same, but faster and more features
micromatch.isMatch('app.js', '*.js'); // true

// glob – finds real files
glob.sync('*.js'); // ['app.js', 'index.js', ...]

// fast-glob – same goal, better performance
fg.sync('*.js'); // ['app.js', 'index.js', ...]

2. Handling Complex Patterns (Braces, Extglobs)

minimatch has limited support; micromatch excels here.

const pattern = 'src/*.{js,ts}';

// minimatch – requires { expand: true }
minimatch('src/app.js', pattern, { matchBase: true }); // may not work as expected

// micromatch – handles it natively
micromatch.isMatch('src/app.js', pattern); // true

// glob – inherits minimatch’s limitations
glob.sync(pattern); // works, but slower and less reliable

// fast-glob – leverages micromatch’s power
fg.sync(pattern); // fast and correct

3. Respecting .gitignore

Only fast-glob supports this out of the box.

// fast-glob: skip ignored files
fg.sync('**/*.js', { ignore: ['.gitignore'] });

// glob: no built-in support – you’d have to filter manually
const files = glob.sync('**/*.js');
// then cross-check with .gitignore yourself

4. Async Support

fast-glob is designed for async from the ground up. glob supports async, but its API feels dated.

// fast-glob – clean async/await
const files = await fg('**/*.js');

// glob – callback-based (promisified version available)
glob('**/*.js', (err, files) => { /*...*/ });

🛠️ When to Use Which: Practical Guidance

Don’t use minimatch in new projects

While not officially deprecated, minimatch is effectively in maintenance mode. Its pattern matching is less accurate, especially on Windows, and it lacks modern glob features. If you’re doing string-only matching, micromatch is strictly better.

Use micromatch when you only need to match strings

If you’re building a linter rule, a router, or any system that checks if a path should be included (without reading the file system), micromatch is your best bet. It’s fast, well-maintained, and handles edge cases correctly.

Avoid glob unless you’re maintaining legacy code

glob is still widely used, but it’s slow on large directories, has quirks with path separators, and doesn’t support modern glob features reliably. New projects should prefer fast-glob.

Default to fast-glob for file discovery

If you’re writing a bundler, test runner, or CLI tool that needs to find files on disk, fast-glob is the modern standard. It’s faster, more correct, respects .gitignore, and has a cleaner API.

📌 Summary Table

PackageMatches Strings?Reads File System?Modern Glob FeaturesAsync-FirstIgnores .gitignore
minimatch✅❌❌ (limited)❌❌
micromatch✅❌✅✅ (sync/async APIs)❌
glob❌ (uses minimatch)✅❌⚠️ (callback-based)❌
fast-glob❌ (uses micromatch)✅✅✅✅

💡 Final Recommendation

Think in layers:

  • Need to check if a path matches a rule? → Use micromatch.
  • Need to find actual files on disk? → Use fast-glob.

Avoid minimatch and glob in new code unless you have a specific compatibility requirement. The ecosystem has moved on, and for good reason — the newer tools are faster, more correct, and easier to use.

How to Choose: fast-glob vs glob vs micromatch vs minimatch

  • fast-glob:

    Choose fast-glob when you need to find actual files on disk using glob patterns. It's the modern, high-performance replacement for glob, with better support for complex patterns, async/await, and built-in .gitignore respect. Ideal for build tools, test runners, and CLI applications that scan directories.

  • glob:

    Choose glob only if you're maintaining legacy code that already depends on it or if you need strict compatibility with older Node.js versions. It works but is slower, less accurate with complex patterns, and lacks modern features like native .gitignore support. Avoid in new projects.

  • micromatch:

    Choose micromatch when you only need to match strings against glob patterns without touching the file system. It's faster and more reliable than minimatch, supports advanced features like extglobs and braces, and is actively maintained. Perfect for routers, linters, or any logic that filters paths based on rules.

  • minimatch:

    Choose minimatch only if you're working in an environment where you cannot add new dependencies or must match the behavior of very old tooling. It's functionally limited compared to micromatch, has known issues with Windows paths, and is effectively in maintenance mode. Not recommended for new development.

Similar Npm Packages to fast-glob

fast-glob is a high-performance file matching library for Node.js that allows developers to efficiently search for files and directories using glob patterns. It is designed to be faster and more efficient than traditional glob libraries, making it an excellent choice for applications that require quick file system operations. Fast-glob supports various features such as streaming, caching, and asynchronous operations, which enhance its performance and usability.

While fast-glob is a robust option for file matching, there are several alternatives in the Node.js ecosystem that also provide globbing capabilities. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • glob is one of the most widely used globbing libraries in the Node.js community. It provides a simple API for matching files using glob patterns and supports various options for customization. While it is reliable and widely adopted, it may not match the performance of fast-glob, especially when dealing with large file sets or complex directory structures. Glob is a solid choice for projects that require basic file matching without the need for advanced performance optimizations.

  • micromatch is a powerful and flexible library for matching strings using glob patterns. It is designed to be more feature-rich than traditional glob libraries, offering advanced matching capabilities, such as support for complex patterns and performance optimizations. Micromatch is particularly useful when you need to match file paths or strings with intricate patterns. If your project requires advanced matching features beyond basic globbing, micromatch is an excellent alternative.

  • node-glob is another popular globbing library for Node.js that provides similar functionality to glob. It allows for file matching using glob patterns and supports various options for customization. While it is a reliable choice, it may not offer the same level of performance as fast-glob, particularly in scenarios involving a large number of files. Node-glob is suitable for projects that require straightforward globbing capabilities without the need for the highest performance.

To see how fast-glob compares with glob, micromatch, and node-glob, check out the comparison: Comparing fast-glob vs glob vs micromatch vs node-glob.

Similar Npm Packages to glob

glob is a popular npm package used for matching files and directories using glob patterns. It allows developers to specify patterns for file paths, making it easy to find files that match certain criteria. This is particularly useful in build processes, file manipulation tasks, and when working with file systems in Node.js applications. While glob is widely used, there are several alternatives that offer similar functionality with different features or performance characteristics. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • fast-glob is an alternative to glob that focuses on performance. It is designed to be faster than the traditional glob package, especially when dealing with a large number of files. Fast-glob uses asynchronous file system operations, making it suitable for applications that require high performance and efficiency. If speed is a priority in your file-matching tasks, fast-glob is an excellent choice.
  • globby is a wrapper around glob that simplifies the process of matching files. It allows you to use multiple glob patterns and provides a more user-friendly API. Globby is particularly useful when you want to combine multiple glob patterns or when you need to work with file paths in a more flexible way. If you are looking for a more convenient way to handle file matching with glob patterns, globby is worth considering.
  • micromatch is another alternative that offers advanced pattern matching capabilities. It supports a wide range of matching patterns, including glob, regex, and other custom patterns. Micromatch is particularly useful when you need more control over how files are matched and when you want to leverage advanced features like negation or custom matching logic. If your file-matching requirements go beyond basic glob patterns, micromatch provides the flexibility you need.

To see how glob compares with fast-glob, globby, and micromatch, check out the comparison: Comparing fast-glob vs glob vs globby vs micromatch.

Similar Npm Packages to micromatch

micromatch is a powerful and flexible pattern matching library for JavaScript, primarily used for matching file paths and strings against glob patterns. It is designed to be fast and efficient, making it a popular choice for developers who need to perform complex matching operations in their applications. Micromatch supports a wide range of globbing features, including braces, extglob, and more, allowing for sophisticated pattern matching.

While micromatch is a great option, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that also provide similar functionality. Here are a few noteworthy alternatives:

  • fast-glob is a highly efficient library for matching file paths using glob patterns. It is designed to be faster than traditional glob libraries, making it suitable for applications that require high performance when dealing with large sets of files. Fast-glob supports various features, including negation patterns and the ability to read from streams, making it a versatile choice for file searching and matching tasks.

  • glob is one of the original libraries for matching file paths using glob patterns in Node.js. It provides a straightforward API for matching files and directories based on specified patterns. While it is widely used and well-documented, it may not be as performant as some newer libraries like fast-glob. However, glob remains a solid choice for many projects, especially those that do not require the advanced features offered by more modern alternatives.

  • minimatch is a minimalistic pattern matching library that focuses on matching strings against glob patterns. It is lightweight and easy to use, making it a good option for simple matching tasks. Minimatch is particularly useful when you need to match strings without the overhead of a more complex library. However, it may lack some of the advanced features found in micromatch or fast-glob.

To see how micromatch compares with fast-glob, glob, and minimatch, check out the comparison: Comparing fast-glob vs glob vs micromatch vs minimatch.

Similar Npm Packages to minimatch

minimatch is a lightweight and efficient pattern matching library for Node.js and JavaScript applications. It allows developers to match file paths or strings against glob patterns, making it particularly useful for tasks involving file system operations, such as filtering files or directories. While minimatch is a popular choice for pattern matching, there are several alternatives available in the ecosystem. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • glob is a widely used library for matching files using glob patterns. It provides a simple API for reading directory contents and filtering files based on specified patterns. Glob is particularly useful for tasks like file searching and batch processing, and it supports various options for controlling the matching behavior. If you need to work with file systems and require a robust solution for file matching, glob is an excellent choice.
  • micromatch is an advanced pattern matching library that builds upon the capabilities of minimatch and glob. It offers a more powerful and flexible matching engine, supporting a wide range of features, including advanced pattern syntax, performance optimizations, and support for arrays of patterns. Micromatch is ideal for developers who need more control and flexibility in their pattern matching, especially when dealing with complex matching scenarios.
  • picomatch is a fast and lightweight alternative to minimatch and micromatch. It focuses on providing high performance and minimal overhead while supporting a subset of the features found in other pattern matching libraries. Picomatch is particularly suitable for scenarios where speed is a priority and the matching requirements are straightforward.

For a detailed comparison of these libraries, check out the link: Comparing glob vs micromatch vs minimatch vs picomatch.

README for fast-glob

fast-glob

It's a very fast and efficient glob library for Node.js.

This package provides methods for traversing the file system and returning pathnames that matched a defined set of a specified pattern according to the rules used by the Unix Bash shell with some simplifications, meanwhile results are returned in arbitrary order. Quick, simple, effective.

Table of Contents

Details

Highlights

  • Fast. Probably the fastest.
  • Supports multiple and negative patterns.
  • Synchronous, Promise and Stream API.
  • Object mode. Can return more than just strings.
  • Error-tolerant.

Old and modern mode

This package works in two modes, depending on the environment in which it is used.

  • Old mode. Node.js below 10.10 or when the stats option is enabled.
  • Modern mode. Node.js 10.10+ and the stats option is disabled.

The modern mode is faster. Learn more about the internal mechanism.

Pattern syntax

:warning: Always use forward-slashes in glob expressions (patterns and ignore option). Use backslashes for escaping characters.

There is more than one form of syntax: basic and advanced. Below is a brief overview of the supported features. Also pay attention to our FAQ.

:book: This package uses micromatch as a library for pattern matching.

Basic syntax

  • An asterisk (*) — matches everything except slashes (path separators), hidden files (names starting with .).
  • A double star or globstar (**) — matches zero or more directories.
  • Question mark (?) – matches any single character except slashes (path separators).
  • Sequence ([seq]) — matches any character in sequence.

:book: A few additional words about the basic matching behavior.

Some examples:

  • src/**/*.js — matches all files in the src directory (any level of nesting) that have the .js extension.
  • src/*.?? — matches all files in the src directory (only first level of nesting) that have a two-character extension.
  • file-[01].js — matches files: file-0.js, file-1.js.

Advanced syntax

:book: A few additional words about the advanced matching behavior.

Some examples:

  • src/**/*.{css,scss} — matches all files in the src directory (any level of nesting) that have the .css or .scss extension.
  • file-[[:digit:]].js — matches files: file-0.js, file-1.js, …, file-9.js.
  • file-{1..3}.js — matches files: file-1.js, file-2.js, file-3.js.
  • file-(1|2) — matches files: file-1.js, file-2.js.

Installation

npm install fast-glob

API

Asynchronous

fg(patterns, [options])
fg.async(patterns, [options])
fg.glob(patterns, [options])

Returns a Promise with an array of matching entries.

const fg = require('fast-glob');

const entries = await fg(['.editorconfig', '**/index.js'], { dot: true });

// ['.editorconfig', 'services/index.js']

Synchronous

fg.sync(patterns, [options])
fg.globSync(patterns, [options])

Returns an array of matching entries.

const fg = require('fast-glob');

const entries = fg.sync(['.editorconfig', '**/index.js'], { dot: true });

// ['.editorconfig', 'services/index.js']

Stream

fg.stream(patterns, [options])
fg.globStream(patterns, [options])

Returns a ReadableStream when the data event will be emitted with matching entry.

const fg = require('fast-glob');

const stream = fg.stream(['.editorconfig', '**/index.js'], { dot: true });

for await (const entry of stream) {
	// .editorconfig
	// services/index.js
}

patterns

  • Required: true
  • Type: string | string[]

Any correct pattern(s).

:1234: Pattern syntax

:warning: This package does not respect the order of patterns. First, all the negative patterns are applied, and only then the positive patterns. If you want to get a certain order of records, use sorting or split calls.

[options]

See Options section.

Helpers

generateTasks(patterns, [options])

Returns the internal representation of patterns (Task is a combining patterns by base directory).

fg.generateTasks('*');

[{
    base: '.', // Parent directory for all patterns inside this task
    dynamic: true, // Dynamic or static patterns are in this task
    patterns: ['*'],
    positive: ['*'],
    negative: []
}]
patterns
  • Required: true
  • Type: string | string[]

Any correct pattern(s).

[options]

See Options section.

isDynamicPattern(pattern, [options])

Returns true if the passed pattern is a dynamic pattern.

:1234: What is a static or dynamic pattern?

fg.isDynamicPattern('*'); // true
fg.isDynamicPattern('abc'); // false
pattern
  • Required: true
  • Type: string

Any correct pattern.

[options]

See Options section.

escapePath(path)

Returns the path with escaped special characters depending on the platform.

  • Posix:
    • *?|(){}[];
    • ! at the beginning of line;
    • @+! before the opening parenthesis;
    • \\ before non-special characters;
  • Windows:
    • (){}[]
    • ! at the beginning of line;
    • @+! before the opening parenthesis;
    • Characters like *?| cannot be used in the path (windows_naming_conventions), so they will not be escaped;
fg.escapePath('!abc');
// \\!abc
fg.escapePath('[OpenSource] mrmlnc – fast-glob (Deluxe Edition) 2014') + '/*.flac'
// \\[OpenSource\\] mrmlnc – fast-glob \\(Deluxe Edition\\) 2014/*.flac

fg.posix.escapePath('C:\\Program Files (x86)\\**\\*');
// C:\\\\Program Files \\(x86\\)\\*\\*\\*
fg.win32.escapePath('C:\\Program Files (x86)\\**\\*');
// Windows: C:\\Program Files \\(x86\\)\\**\\*

convertPathToPattern(path)

Converts a path to a pattern depending on the platform, including special character escaping.

  • Posix. Works similarly to the fg.posix.escapePath method.
  • Windows. Works similarly to the fg.win32.escapePath method, additionally converting backslashes to forward slashes in cases where they are not escape characters (!()+@{}[]).
fg.convertPathToPattern('[OpenSource] mrmlnc – fast-glob (Deluxe Edition) 2014') + '/*.flac';
// \\[OpenSource\\] mrmlnc – fast-glob \\(Deluxe Edition\\) 2014/*.flac

fg.convertPathToPattern('C:/Program Files (x86)/**/*');
// Posix: C:/Program Files \\(x86\\)/\\*\\*/\\*
// Windows: C:/Program Files \\(x86\\)/**/*

fg.convertPathToPattern('C:\\Program Files (x86)\\**\\*');
// Posix: C:\\\\Program Files \\(x86\\)\\*\\*\\*
// Windows: C:/Program Files \\(x86\\)/**/*

fg.posix.convertPathToPattern('\\\\?\\c:\\Program Files (x86)') + '/**/*';
// Posix: \\\\\\?\\\\c:\\\\Program Files \\(x86\\)/**/* (broken pattern)
fg.win32.convertPathToPattern('\\\\?\\c:\\Program Files (x86)') + '/**/*';
// Windows: //?/c:/Program Files \\(x86\\)/**/*

Options

Common options

concurrency

  • Type: number
  • Default: os.cpus().length

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent requests from a reader to read directories.

:book: The higher the number, the higher the performance and load on the file system. If you want to read in quiet mode, set the value to a comfortable number or 1.

More details

In Node, there are two types of threads: Event Loop (code) and a Thread Pool (fs, dns, …). The thread pool size controlled by the UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE environment variable. Its default size is 4 (documentation). The pool is one for all tasks within a single Node process.

Any code can make 4 real concurrent accesses to the file system. The rest of the FS requests will wait in the queue.

:book: Each new instance of FG in the same Node process will use the same Thread pool.

But this package also has the concurrency option. This option allows you to control the number of concurrent accesses to the FS at the package level. By default, this package has a value equal to the number of cores available for the current Node process. This allows you to set a value smaller than the pool size (concurrency: 1) or, conversely, to prepare tasks for the pool queue more quickly (concurrency: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY).

So, in fact, this package can only make 4 concurrent requests to the FS. You can increase this value by using an environment variable (UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE), but in practice this does not give a multiple advantage.

cwd

  • Type: string
  • Default: process.cwd()

The current working directory in which to search.

deep

  • Type: number
  • Default: Infinity

Specifies the maximum depth of a read directory relative to the start directory.

For example, you have the following tree:

dir/
└── one/            // 1
    └── two/        // 2
        └── file.js // 3

// With base directory
fg.sync('dir/**', { onlyFiles: false, deep: 1 }); // ['dir/one']
fg.sync('dir/**', { onlyFiles: false, deep: 2 }); // ['dir/one', 'dir/one/two']

// With cwd option
fg.sync('**', { onlyFiles: false, cwd: 'dir', deep: 1 }); // ['one']
fg.sync('**', { onlyFiles: false, cwd: 'dir', deep: 2 }); // ['one', 'one/two']

:book: If you specify a pattern with some base directory, this directory will not participate in the calculation of the depth of the found directories. Think of it as a cwd option.

followSymbolicLinks

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Indicates whether to traverse descendants of symbolic link directories when expanding ** patterns.

:book: Note that this option does not affect the base directory of the pattern. For example, if ./a is a symlink to directory ./b and you specified ['./a**', './b/**'] patterns, then directory ./a will still be read.

:book: If the stats option is specified, the information about the symbolic link (fs.lstat) will be replaced with information about the entry (fs.stat) behind it.

fs

  • Type: FileSystemAdapter
  • Default: fs.*

Custom implementation of methods for working with the file system. Supports objects with enumerable properties only.

export interface FileSystemAdapter {
    lstat?: typeof fs.lstat;
    stat?: typeof fs.stat;
    lstatSync?: typeof fs.lstatSync;
    statSync?: typeof fs.statSync;
    readdir?: typeof fs.readdir;
    readdirSync?: typeof fs.readdirSync;
}

ignore

  • Type: string[]
  • Default: []

An array of glob patterns to exclude matches. This is an alternative way to use negative patterns.

dir/
├── package-lock.json
└── package.json

fg.sync(['*.json', '!package-lock.json']);            // ['package.json']
fg.sync('*.json', { ignore: ['package-lock.json'] }); // ['package.json']

suppressErrors

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

By default this package suppress only ENOENT errors. Set to true to suppress any error.

:book: Can be useful when the directory has entries with a special level of access.

throwErrorOnBrokenSymbolicLink

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Throw an error when symbolic link is broken if true or safely return lstat call if false.

:book: This option has no effect on errors when reading the symbolic link directory.

Output control

absolute

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Return the absolute path for entries.

fg.sync('*.js', { absolute: false }); // ['index.js']
fg.sync('*.js', { absolute: true });  // ['/home/user/index.js']

:book: This option is required if you want to use negative patterns with absolute path, for example, !${__dirname}/*.js.

markDirectories

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Mark the directory path with the final slash.

fg.sync('*', { onlyFiles: false, markDirectories: false }); // ['index.js', 'controllers']
fg.sync('*', { onlyFiles: false, markDirectories: true });  // ['index.js', 'controllers/']

objectMode

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Returns objects (instead of strings) describing entries.

fg.sync('*', { objectMode: false }); // ['src/index.js']
fg.sync('*', { objectMode: true });  // [{ name: 'index.js', path: 'src/index.js', dirent: <fs.Dirent> }]

The object has the following fields:

  • name (string) — the last part of the path (basename)
  • path (string) — full path relative to the pattern base directory
  • dirent (fs.Dirent) — instance of fs.Dirent

:book: An object is an internal representation of entry, so getting it does not affect performance.

onlyDirectories

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Return only directories.

fg.sync('*', { onlyDirectories: false }); // ['index.js', 'src']
fg.sync('*', { onlyDirectories: true });  // ['src']

:book: If true, the onlyFiles option is automatically false.

onlyFiles

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Return only files.

fg.sync('*', { onlyFiles: false }); // ['index.js', 'src']
fg.sync('*', { onlyFiles: true });  // ['index.js']

stats

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Enables an object mode with an additional field:

  • stats (fs.Stats) — instance of fs.Stats
fg.sync('*', { stats: false }); // ['src/index.js']
fg.sync('*', { stats: true });  // [{ name: 'index.js', path: 'src/index.js', dirent: <fs.Dirent>, stats: <fs.Stats> }]

:book: Returns fs.stat instead of fs.lstat for symbolic links when the followSymbolicLinks option is specified.

:warning: Unlike object mode this mode requires additional calls to the file system. On average, this mode is slower at least twice. See old and modern mode for more details.

unique

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Ensures that the returned entries are unique.

fg.sync(['*.json', 'package.json'], { unique: false }); // ['package.json', 'package.json']
fg.sync(['*.json', 'package.json'], { unique: true });  // ['package.json']

If true and similar entries are found, the result is the first found.

Matching control

braceExpansion

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Enables Bash-like brace expansion.

:1234: Syntax description or more detailed description.

dir/
├── abd
├── acd
└── a{b,c}d

fg.sync('a{b,c}d', { braceExpansion: false }); // ['a{b,c}d']
fg.sync('a{b,c}d', { braceExpansion: true });  // ['abd', 'acd']

caseSensitiveMatch

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Enables a case-sensitive mode for matching files.

dir/
├── file.txt
└── File.txt

fg.sync('file.txt', { caseSensitiveMatch: false }); // ['file.txt', 'File.txt']
fg.sync('file.txt', { caseSensitiveMatch: true });  // ['file.txt']

dot

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

Allow patterns to match entries that begin with a period (.).

:book: Note that an explicit dot in a portion of the pattern will always match dot files.

dir/
├── .editorconfig
└── package.json

fg.sync('*', { dot: false }); // ['package.json']
fg.sync('*', { dot: true });  // ['.editorconfig', 'package.json']

extglob

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Enables Bash-like extglob functionality.

:1234: Syntax description.

dir/
├── README.md
└── package.json

fg.sync('*.+(json|md)', { extglob: false }); // []
fg.sync('*.+(json|md)', { extglob: true });  // ['README.md', 'package.json']

globstar

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: true

Enables recursively repeats a pattern containing **. If false, ** behaves exactly like *.

dir/
└── a
    └── b

fg.sync('**', { onlyFiles: false, globstar: false }); // ['a']
fg.sync('**', { onlyFiles: false, globstar: true });  // ['a', 'a/b']

baseNameMatch

  • Type: boolean
  • Default: false

If set to true, then patterns without slashes will be matched against the basename of the path if it contains slashes.

dir/
└── one/
    └── file.md

fg.sync('*.md', { baseNameMatch: false }); // []
fg.sync('*.md', { baseNameMatch: true });  // ['one/file.md']

FAQ

What is a static or dynamic pattern?

All patterns can be divided into two types:

  • static. A pattern is considered static if it can be used to get an entry on the file system without using matching mechanisms. For example, the file.js pattern is a static pattern because we can just verify that it exists on the file system.
  • dynamic. A pattern is considered dynamic if it cannot be used directly to find occurrences without using a matching mechanisms. For example, the * pattern is a dynamic pattern because we cannot use this pattern directly.

A pattern is considered dynamic if it contains the following characters (… — any characters or their absence) or options:

  • The caseSensitiveMatch option is disabled
  • \\ (the escape character)
  • *, ?, ! (at the beginning of line)
  • […]
  • (…|…)
  • @(…), !(…), *(…), ?(…), +(…) (respects the extglob option)
  • {…,…}, {…..…} (respects the braceExpansion option)

How to write patterns on Windows?

Always use forward-slashes in glob expressions (patterns and ignore option). Use backslashes for escaping characters. With the cwd option use a convenient format.

Bad

[
	'directory\\*',
	path.join(process.cwd(), '**')
]

Good

[
	'directory/*',
	fg.convertPathToPattern(process.cwd()) + '/**'
]

:book: Use the .convertPathToPattern package to convert Windows-style path to a Unix-style path.

Read more about matching with backslashes.

Why are parentheses match wrong?

dir/
└── (special-*file).txt

fg.sync(['(special-*file).txt']) // []

Refers to Bash. You need to escape special characters:

fg.sync(['\\(special-*file\\).txt']) // ['(special-*file).txt']

Read more about matching special characters as literals. Or use the .escapePath.

How to exclude directory from reading?

You can use a negative pattern like this: !**/node_modules or !**/node_modules/**. Also you can use ignore option. Just look at the example below.

first/
├── file.md
└── second/
    └── file.txt

If you don't want to read the second directory, you must write the following pattern: !**/second or !**/second/**.

fg.sync(['**/*.md', '!**/second']);                 // ['first/file.md']
fg.sync(['**/*.md'], { ignore: ['**/second/**'] }); // ['first/file.md']

:warning: When you write !**/second/**/* it means that the directory will be read, but all the entries will not be included in the results.

You have to understand that if you write the pattern to exclude directories, then the directory will not be read under any circumstances.

How to use UNC path?

You cannot use Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) paths as patterns (due to syntax) directly, but you can use them as cwd directory or use the fg.convertPathToPattern method.

// cwd
fg.sync('*', { cwd: '\\\\?\\C:\\Python27' /* or //?/C:/Python27 */ });
fg.sync('Python27/*', { cwd: '\\\\?\\C:\\' /* or //?/C:/ */ });

// .convertPathToPattern
fg.sync(fg.convertPathToPattern('\\\\?\\c:\\Python27') + '/*');

Compatible with node-glob?

node-globfast-glob
cwdcwd
root–
dotdot
nomount–
markmarkDirectories
nosort–
nouniqueunique
nobracebraceExpansion
noglobstarglobstar
noextextglob
nocasecaseSensitiveMatch
matchBasebaseNameMatch
nodironlyFiles
ignoreignore
followfollowSymbolicLinks
realpath–
absoluteabsolute

Benchmarks

You can see results here for every commit into the main branch.

  • Product benchmark – comparison with the main competitors.
  • Regress benchmark – regression between the current version and the version from the npm registry.

Changelog

See the Releases section of our GitHub project for changelog for each release version.

License

This software is released under the terms of the MIT license.

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