rimraf vs graceful-fs
File System Utilities Comparison
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What's File System Utilities?

Both graceful-fs and rimraf are npm packages that provide utilities for file system operations in Node.js. graceful-fs is an enhanced version of the built-in fs module, designed to handle file system operations more gracefully, particularly in terms of error handling and performance. It helps prevent issues like EMFILE errors, which occur when too many files are opened simultaneously. On the other hand, rimraf is a utility for deleting files and directories, particularly useful for removing directories recursively, similar to the Unix command 'rm -rf'. It is particularly effective for cleaning up temporary files and directories in a Node.js environment.

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rimraf98,740,8515,728281 kB138 months agoISC
graceful-fs66,201,3041,28332.5 kB502 years agoISC
Feature Comparison: rimraf vs graceful-fs

Error Handling

  • rimraf:

    rimraf does not focus on error handling in the same way. It will attempt to delete files and directories, but if it encounters an error (like permission issues), it will simply report the error and continue. This makes it less robust in scenarios where error management is critical.

  • graceful-fs:

    graceful-fs improves error handling by queuing file system operations when the system is under heavy load, thus preventing EMFILE errors. It retries operations after a delay, allowing for smoother execution even under stress, which is crucial for applications that perform many concurrent file operations.

Performance

  • rimraf:

    rimraf is straightforward in its approach to deletion and does not include optimizations for performance. Its primary goal is to ensure that files and directories are deleted, and while it is effective, it may not be as efficient as graceful-fs in high-load scenarios.

  • graceful-fs:

    graceful-fs is optimized for performance, especially in environments where many file operations are performed simultaneously. It uses a queue system to manage file operations, which helps in reducing the load on the file system and avoids overwhelming it, thus enhancing overall performance.

Use Cases

  • rimraf:

    rimraf is ideal for build tools and scripts where you need to clean up directories before or after builds. It is commonly used in development workflows to ensure that temporary files and directories are removed efficiently.

  • graceful-fs:

    graceful-fs is best suited for applications that require extensive file manipulation, such as file upload services, backup systems, or any application that needs to read/write many files concurrently without running into system limits.

API Design

  • rimraf:

    rimraf has a simple API that focuses solely on the deletion of files and directories. It is less about providing a comprehensive file system interface and more about providing a reliable deletion mechanism, which makes it straightforward to use.

  • graceful-fs:

    graceful-fs maintains a similar API to the native fs module, making it easy to integrate into existing applications without a steep learning curve. Developers can use it as a drop-in replacement for fs, which simplifies the transition.

Compatibility

  • rimraf:

    rimraf is also compatible with various Node.js versions and is widely used in the community, ensuring that it works well with most Node.js applications and frameworks.

  • graceful-fs:

    graceful-fs is designed to be compatible with Node.js versions and works seamlessly with existing fs-based code, ensuring that developers can leverage its features without significant changes to their codebase.

How to Choose: rimraf vs graceful-fs
  • rimraf:

    Choose rimraf when you need a reliable way to delete files and directories recursively. It is particularly useful for build scripts or cleanup tasks where you need to ensure that entire directory trees are removed without leaving any residual files.

  • graceful-fs:

    Choose graceful-fs when you need to perform file system operations that require better error handling and performance, especially when dealing with a large number of files. It is ideal for applications that may encounter EMFILE errors due to high concurrency in file operations.

Similar Npm Packages to rimraf

rimraf is a popular npm package used for deleting files and directories in Node.js applications. It is particularly useful for removing directories that may contain files and subdirectories, as it recursively deletes everything within the specified path. This functionality is similar to the Unix command rm -rf, making it a go-to choice for developers looking for a reliable way to clean up their file system during build processes or other tasks.

While rimraf is widely used, there are several alternatives that offer similar functionality. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • del is a powerful package that provides a simple and flexible way to delete files and directories. It supports glob patterns, allowing users to specify which files or directories to delete with ease. Additionally, del can return a promise, making it easy to integrate into asynchronous workflows. If you need more control over the deletion process or want to use glob patterns, del is a great alternative to rimraf.

  • fs-extra is an extension of the built-in Node.js fs module that adds extra methods for file and directory manipulation. Among its many features, fs-extra includes a remove function that behaves similarly to rimraf, allowing for the deletion of files and directories. If you are already using fs-extra for other file operations, leveraging its remove method can simplify your code and reduce dependencies.

  • remove is another package designed for deleting files and directories. It offers a straightforward API and supports asynchronous operations, making it easy to use in modern JavaScript applications. If you are looking for a lightweight alternative that focuses solely on file and directory removal, remove is worth considering.

To compare these packages and see how they stack up against each other, check out the following link: Comparing del vs fs-extra vs remove vs rimraf.

Similar Npm Packages to graceful-fs

graceful-fs is a Node.js module that enhances the built-in fs (file system) module by providing a more resilient and robust way to handle file system operations. It addresses issues related to the default fs module, such as handling too many open file descriptors and providing better error handling. By using graceful-fs, developers can ensure that their applications are less likely to crash due to file system-related errors, making it a reliable choice for file operations in Node.js applications. However, there are several alternatives available that also provide file system utilities. Here are a few:

  • fs-extra is an extension of the built-in fs module that adds extra methods and functionality. It includes methods for copying, removing, and moving files and directories, as well as methods for ensuring that directories exist. fs-extra is a great choice for developers who need additional file system features while still relying on the familiar fs API. Its simplicity and added functionality make it a popular choice for many Node.js projects.
  • mkdirp is a small utility that allows you to create directories recursively. If you need to create a directory and all its parent directories if they do not exist, mkdirp is the go-to solution. It is lightweight and straightforward, making it an excellent choice for projects that require directory creation without the overhead of a larger library.
  • node-fs is another alternative that provides a more modern approach to file system operations in Node.js. It offers a promise-based API, making it easier to work with asynchronous file operations. If you prefer using promises over callbacks for file system tasks, node-fs can be a suitable option.
  • rimraf is a utility for removing files and directories, similar to the Unix command rm -rf. It is particularly useful for cleaning up temporary files or directories in a Node.js application. If you need a reliable way to delete files and directories recursively, rimraf is a straightforward and effective solution.

To compare these packages, check out the following link: Comparing fs-extra vs graceful-fs vs mkdirp vs node-fs vs rimraf.

README for rimraf

The UNIX command rm -rf for node in a cross-platform implementation.

Install with npm install rimraf.

Major Changes

v5 to v6

  • Require node 20 or >=22
  • Add --version to CLI

v4 to v5

  • There is no default export anymore. Import the functions directly using, e.g., import { rimrafSync } from 'rimraf'.

v3 to v4

  • The function returns a Promise instead of taking a callback.
  • Globbing requires the --glob CLI option or glob option property to be set. (Removed in 4.0 and 4.1, opt-in support added in 4.2.)
  • Functions take arrays of paths, as well as a single path.
  • Native implementation used by default when available, except on Windows, where this implementation is faster and more reliable.
  • New implementation on Windows, falling back to "move then remove" strategy when exponential backoff for EBUSY fails to resolve the situation.
  • Simplified implementation on POSIX, since the Windows affordances are not necessary there.
  • As of 4.3, return/resolve value is boolean instead of undefined.

API

Hybrid module, load either with import or require().

// 'rimraf' export is the one you probably want, but other
// strategies exported as well.
import { rimraf, rimrafSync, native, nativeSync } from 'rimraf'
// or
const { rimraf, rimrafSync, native, nativeSync } = require('rimraf')

All removal functions return a boolean indicating that all entries were successfully removed.

The only case in which this will not return true is if something was omitted from the removal via a filter option.

rimraf(f, [opts]) -> Promise

This first parameter is a path or array of paths. The second argument is an options object.

Options:

  • preserveRoot: If set to boolean false, then allow the recursive removal of the root directory. Otherwise, this is not allowed.

  • tmp: Windows only. Temp folder to place files and folders for the "move then remove" fallback. Must be on the same physical device as the path being deleted. Defaults to os.tmpdir() when that is on the same drive letter as the path being deleted, or ${drive}:\temp if present, or ${drive}:\ if not.

  • maxRetries: Windows and Native only. Maximum number of retry attempts in case of EBUSY, EMFILE, and ENFILE errors. Default 10 for Windows implementation, 0 for Native implementation.

  • backoff: Windows only. Rate of exponential backoff for async removal in case of EBUSY, EMFILE, and ENFILE errors. Should be a number greater than 1. Default 1.2

  • maxBackoff: Windows only. Maximum total backoff time in ms to attempt asynchronous retries in case of EBUSY, EMFILE, and ENFILE errors. Default 200. With the default 1.2 backoff rate, this results in 14 retries, with the final retry being delayed 33ms.

  • retryDelay: Native only. Time to wait between retries, using linear backoff. Default 100.

  • signal Pass in an AbortSignal to cancel the directory removal. This is useful when removing large folder structures, if you'd like to limit the time spent.

    Using a signal option prevents the use of Node's built-in fs.rm because that implementation does not support abort signals.

  • glob Boolean flag to treat path as glob pattern, or an object specifying glob options.

  • filter Method that returns a boolean indicating whether that path should be deleted. With async rimraf methods, this may return a Promise that resolves to a boolean. (Since Promises are truthy, returning a Promise from a sync filter is the same as just not filtering anything.)

    The first argument to the filter is the path string. The second argument is either a Dirent or Stats object for that path. (The first path explored will be a Stats, the rest will be Dirent.)

    If a filter method is provided, it will only remove entries if the filter returns (or resolves to) a truthy value. Omitting a directory will still allow its children to be removed, unless they are also filtered out, but any parents of a filtered entry will not be removed, since the directory will not be empty in that case.

    Using a filter method prevents the use of Node's built-in fs.rm because that implementation does not support filtering.

Any other options are provided to the native Node.js fs.rm implementation when that is used.

This will attempt to choose the best implementation, based on the Node.js version and process.platform. To force a specific implementation, use one of the other functions provided.

rimraf.sync(f, [opts])
rimraf.rimrafSync(f, [opts])

Synchronous form of rimraf()

Note that, unlike many file system operations, the synchronous form will typically be significantly slower than the async form, because recursive deletion is extremely parallelizable.

rimraf.native(f, [opts])

Uses the built-in fs.rm implementation that Node.js provides. This is used by default on Node.js versions greater than or equal to 14.14.0.

rimraf.native.sync(f, [opts])
rimraf.nativeSync(f, [opts])

Synchronous form of rimraf.native

rimraf.manual(f, [opts])

Use the JavaScript implementation appropriate for your operating system.

rimraf.manual.sync(f, [opts])
rimraf.manualSync(f, opts)

Synchronous form of rimraf.manual()

rimraf.windows(f, [opts])

JavaScript implementation of file removal appropriate for Windows platforms. Works around unlink and rmdir not being atomic operations, and EPERM when deleting files with certain permission modes.

First deletes all non-directory files within the tree, and then removes all directories, which should ideally be empty by that time. When an ENOTEMPTY is raised in the second pass, falls back to the rimraf.moveRemove strategy as needed.

rimraf.windows.sync(path, [opts])
rimraf.windowsSync(path, [opts])

Synchronous form of rimraf.windows()

rimraf.moveRemove(path, [opts])

Moves all files and folders to the parent directory of path with a temporary filename prior to attempting to remove them.

Note that, in cases where the operation fails, this may leave files lying around in the parent directory with names like .file-basename.txt.0.123412341. Until the Windows kernel provides a way to perform atomic unlink and rmdir operations, this is, unfortunately, unavoidable.

To move files to a different temporary directory other than the parent, provide opts.tmp. Note that this must be on the same physical device as the folder being deleted, or else the operation will fail.

This is the slowest strategy, but most reliable on Windows platforms. Used as a last-ditch fallback by rimraf.windows().

rimraf.moveRemove.sync(path, [opts])
rimraf.moveRemoveSync(path, [opts])

Synchronous form of rimraf.moveRemove()

Command Line Interface

rimraf version 6.0.1

Usage: rimraf <path> [<path> ...]
Deletes all files and folders at "path", recursively.

Options:
  --                   Treat all subsequent arguments as paths
  -h --help            Display this usage info
  --version            Display version
  --preserve-root      Do not remove '/' recursively (default)
  --no-preserve-root   Do not treat '/' specially
  -G --no-glob         Treat arguments as literal paths, not globs (default)
  -g --glob            Treat arguments as glob patterns
  -v --verbose         Be verbose when deleting files, showing them as
                       they are removed. Not compatible with --impl=native
  -V --no-verbose      Be silent when deleting files, showing nothing as
                       they are removed (default)
  -i --interactive     Ask for confirmation before deleting anything
                       Not compatible with --impl=native
  -I --no-interactive  Do not ask for confirmation before deleting

  --impl=<type>        Specify the implementation to use:
                       rimraf: choose the best option (default)
                       native: the built-in implementation in Node.js
                       manual: the platform-specific JS implementation
                       posix: the Posix JS implementation
                       windows: the Windows JS implementation (falls back to
                                move-remove on ENOTEMPTY)
                       move-remove: a slow reliable Windows fallback

Implementation-specific options:
  --tmp=<path>        Temp file folder for 'move-remove' implementation
  --max-retries=<n>   maxRetries for 'native' and 'windows' implementations
  --retry-delay=<n>   retryDelay for 'native' implementation, default 100
  --backoff=<n>       Exponential backoff factor for retries (default: 1.2)

mkdirp

If you need to create a directory recursively, check out mkdirp.

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