filenamify vs sanitize-filename vs slugify
File Name and URL Slug Management Libraries
filenamifysanitize-filenameslugifySimilar Packages:

File Name and URL Slug Management Libraries

These libraries are designed to help developers create safe, valid, and user-friendly file names and URL slugs from various input strings. They ensure that the generated names are free from problematic characters that could cause issues in file systems or web URLs, enhancing both usability and security. Each library has its unique approach and features, making them suitable for different use cases in web development.

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filenamify051711.7 kB25 months agoMIT
sanitize-filename036717.5 kB252 days agoWTFPL OR ISC
slugify01,73016.1 kB429 days agoMIT

Feature Comparison: filenamify vs sanitize-filename vs slugify

Character Replacement

  • filenamify:

    filenamify replaces invalid characters in a string with a specified character (default is a dash), ensuring that the resulting string is a valid file name across different operating systems and file systems.

  • sanitize-filename:

    sanitize-filename removes or replaces invalid characters from the input string, providing a clean and safe file name that adheres to the rules of the underlying file system without providing customization options for character replacement.

  • slugify:

    slugify transforms a string into a URL-friendly slug by converting it to lowercase and replacing spaces and special characters with hyphens, focusing on creating readable and SEO-friendly URLs.

Customization

  • filenamify:

    filenamify allows for customization of the character used for replacement, giving developers flexibility in how they want to handle invalid characters in file names.

  • sanitize-filename:

    sanitize-filename has limited customization options, primarily focusing on sanitizing input without providing extensive configuration for character replacement.

  • slugify:

    slugify offers some customization options, such as the ability to specify custom replacement characters for spaces and special characters, allowing for more control over the resulting slug.

Use Cases

  • filenamify:

    filenamify is ideal for scenarios where you need to generate valid file names from user input or other strings, such as when saving files uploaded by users in a web application.

  • sanitize-filename:

    sanitize-filename is best suited for applications that require strict validation of file names to prevent issues when saving files to disk, especially in environments with varying file system rules.

  • slugify:

    slugify is perfect for generating SEO-friendly slugs for URLs in web applications, making it essential for routing and content management systems.

Performance

  • filenamify:

    filenamify is optimized for performance, handling string transformations efficiently, even for longer input strings, making it suitable for real-time applications.

  • sanitize-filename:

    sanitize-filename performs well for typical use cases, but its performance may vary based on the complexity of the input string and the number of characters to sanitize.

  • slugify:

    slugify is designed for speed and efficiency, quickly converting strings into slugs, which is crucial for applications that require real-time URL generation.

Community and Maintenance

  • filenamify:

    filenamify has a growing community and is actively maintained, ensuring that it stays up-to-date with best practices and user needs.

  • sanitize-filename:

    sanitize-filename is a widely used library with a stable user base, but it may not receive frequent updates compared to newer libraries.

  • slugify:

    slugify enjoys a robust community and is frequently updated, making it a reliable choice for developers looking for a well-supported library.

How to Choose: filenamify vs sanitize-filename vs slugify

  • filenamify:

    Choose filenamify if you need a library that transforms any string into a valid file name by replacing invalid characters with a specified character, making it suitable for various file systems.

  • sanitize-filename:

    Opt for sanitize-filename if you require a straightforward solution to sanitize file names by removing or replacing invalid characters, ensuring compatibility across different operating systems and environments.

  • slugify:

    Select slugify when you need to generate URL-friendly slugs from strings, particularly for use in web applications where SEO and readability are important, as it converts strings into lowercase and replaces spaces and special characters with hyphens.

README for filenamify

filenamify

Convert a string to a valid safe filename

On Unix-like systems, / is reserved. On Windows, <>:"/\|?* along with trailing periods and spaces are reserved.

This module also removes non-printable control characters (including Unicode bidirectional marks) and normalizes Unicode whitespace.

Install

npm install filenamify

Usage

import filenamify from 'filenamify';

filenamify('<foo/bar>');
//=> '!foo!bar!'

filenamify('foo:"bar"', {replacement: '🐴'});
//=> 'foo🐴bar🐴'

API

filenamify(string, options?)

Convert a string to a valid filename.

filenamifyPath(path, options?)

Convert the filename in a path to a valid filename and return the augmented path.

import {filenamifyPath} from 'filenamify';

filenamifyPath('foo:bar');
//=> 'foo!bar'

options

Type: object

replacement

Type: string
Default: '!'

String to use as replacement for reserved filename characters.

Cannot contain: < > : " / \ | ? * or control characters.

maxLength

Type: number
Default: 100

Truncate the filename to the given length.

Only the base of the filename is truncated, preserving the extension. If the extension itself is longer than maxLength, you will get a string that is longer than maxLength, so you need to check for that if you allow arbitrary extensions.

Truncation is grapheme-aware and will not split Unicode characters (surrogate pairs or extended grapheme clusters). If the remaining budget (after accounting for the extension) is smaller than a whole grapheme, the base filename may be truncated to an empty string to avoid splitting.

Systems generally allow up to 255 characters, but we default to 100 for usability reasons.

Browser-only import

You can also import filenamify/browser, which only imports filenamify and not filenamifyPath, which relies on path being available or polyfilled. Importing filenamify this way is therefore useful when it is shipped using webpack or similar tools, and if filenamifyPath is not needed.

import filenamify from 'filenamify/browser';

filenamify('<foo/bar>');
//=> '!foo!bar!'

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