[![Coverage Status](https://codecov.io/gh/sindresorhus/execa/branch/main/graph/badge.svg)](https://codecov.io/gh/sindresorhus/execa) > Process execution for humans ## Why This package improves [`child_process`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html) methods with: - Promise interface. - [Strips the final newline](#stripfinalnewline) from the output so you don't have to do `stdout.trim()`. - Supports [shebang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebang_(Unix)) binaries cross-platform. - [Improved Windows support.](https://github.com/IndigoUnited/node-cross-spawn#why) - Higher max buffer. 100 MB instead of 200 KB. - [Executes locally installed binaries by name.](#preferlocal) - [Cleans up spawned processes when the parent process dies.](#cleanup) - [Get interleaved output](#all) from `stdout` and `stderr` similar to what is printed on the terminal. [*(Async only)*](#execasyncfile-arguments-options) - [Can specify file and arguments as a single string without a shell](#execacommandcommand-options) - More descriptive errors. ## Install ``` $ npm install execa ``` ## Usage ```js const execa = require('execa'); (async () => { const {stdout} = await execa('echo', ['unicorns']); console.log(stdout); //=> 'unicorns' })(); ``` ### Pipe the child process stdout to the parent ```js const execa = require('execa'); execa('echo', ['unicorns']).stdout.pipe(process.stdout); ``` ### Handling Errors ```js const execa = require('execa'); (async () => { // Catching an error try { await execa('unknown', ['command']); } catch (error) { console.log(error); /* { message: 'Command failed with ENOENT: unknown command spawn unknown ENOENT', errno: -2, code: 'ENOENT', syscall: 'spawn unknown', path: 'unknown', spawnargs: ['command'], originalMessage: 'spawn unknown ENOENT', shortMessage: 'Command failed with ENOENT: unknown command spawn unknown ENOENT', command: 'unknown command', escapedCommand: 'unknown command', stdout: '', stderr: '', all: '', failed: true, timedOut: false, isCanceled: false, killed: false } */ } })(); ``` ### Cancelling a spawned process ```js const execa = require('execa'); (async () => { const subprocess = execa('node'); setTimeout(() => { subprocess.cancel(); }, 1000); try { await subprocess; } catch (error) { console.log(subprocess.killed); // true console.log(error.isCanceled); // true } })() ``` ### Catching an error with the sync method ```js try { execa.sync('unknown', ['command']); } catch (error) { console.log(error); /* { message: 'Command failed with ENOENT: unknown command spawnSync unknown ENOENT', errno: -2, code: 'ENOENT', syscall: 'spawnSync unknown', path: 'unknown', spawnargs: ['command'], originalMessage: 'spawnSync unknown ENOENT', shortMessage: 'Command failed with ENOENT: unknown command spawnSync unknown ENOENT', command: 'unknown command', escapedCommand: 'unknown command', stdout: '', stderr: '', all: '', failed: true, timedOut: false, isCanceled: false, killed: false } */ } ``` ### Kill a process Using SIGTERM, and after 2 seconds, kill it with SIGKILL. ```js const subprocess = execa('node'); setTimeout(() => { subprocess.kill('SIGTERM', { forceKillAfterTimeout: 2000 }); }, 1000); ``` ## API ### execa(file, arguments, options?) Execute a file. Think of this as a mix of [`child_process.execFile()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_execfile_file_args_options_callback) and [`child_process.spawn()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_spawn_command_args_options). No escaping/quoting is needed. Unless the [`shell`](#shell) option is used, no shell interpreter (Bash, `cmd.exe`, etc.) is used, so shell features such as variables substitution (`echo $PATH`) are not allowed. Returns a [`child_process` instance](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_class_childprocess) which: - is also a `Promise` resolving or rejecting with a [`childProcessResult`](#childProcessResult). - exposes the following additional methods and properties. #### kill(signal?, options?) Same as the original [`child_process#kill()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_subprocess_kill_signal) except: if `signal` is `SIGTERM` (the default value) and the child process is not terminated after 5 seconds, force it by sending `SIGKILL`. ##### options.forceKillAfterTimeout Type: `number | false`\ Default: `5000` Milliseconds to wait for the child process to terminate before sending `SIGKILL`. Can be disabled with `false`. #### cancel() Similar to [`childProcess.kill()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_subprocess_kill_signal). This is preferred when cancelling the child process execution as the error is more descriptive and [`childProcessResult.isCanceled`](#iscanceled) is set to `true`. #### all Type: `ReadableStream | undefined` Stream combining/interleaving [`stdout`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_subprocess_stdout) and [`stderr`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_subprocess_stderr). This is `undefined` if either: - the [`all` option](#all-2) is `false` (the default value) - both [`stdout`](#stdout-1) and [`stderr`](#stderr-1) options are set to [`'inherit'`, `'ipc'`, `Stream` or `integer`](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v6.x/docs/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio) ### execa.sync(file, arguments?, options?) Execute a file synchronously. Returns or throws a [`childProcessResult`](#childProcessResult). ### execa.command(command, options?) Same as [`execa()`](#execafile-arguments-options) except both file and arguments are specified in a single `command` string. For example, `execa('echo', ['unicorns'])` is the same as `execa.command('echo unicorns')`. If the file or an argument contains spaces, they must be escaped with backslashes. This matters especially if `command` is not a constant but a variable, for example with `__dirname` or `process.cwd()`. Except for spaces, no escaping/quoting is needed. The [`shell` option](#shell) must be used if the `command` uses shell-specific features (for example, `&&` or `||`), as opposed to being a simple `file` followed by its `arguments`. ### execa.commandSync(command, options?) Same as [`execa.command()`](#execacommand-command-options) but synchronous. Returns or throws a [`childProcessResult`](#childProcessResult). ### execa.node(scriptPath, arguments?, options?) Execute a Node.js script as a child process. Same as `execa('node', [scriptPath, ...arguments], options)` except (like [`child_process#fork()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_fork_modulepath_args_options)): - the current Node version and options are used. This can be overridden using the [`nodePath`](#nodepath-for-node-only) and [`nodeOptions`](#nodeoptions-for-node-only) options. - the [`shell`](#shell) option cannot be used - an extra channel [`ipc`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio) is passed to [`stdio`](#stdio) ### childProcessResult Type: `object` Result of a child process execution. On success this is a plain object. On failure this is also an `Error` instance. The child process [fails](#failed) when: - its [exit code](#exitcode) is not `0` - it was [killed](#killed) with a [signal](#signal) - [timing out](#timedout) - [being canceled](#iscanceled) - there's not enough memory or there are already too many child processes #### command Type: `string` The file and arguments that were run, for logging purposes. This is not escaped and should not be executed directly as a process, including using [`execa()`](#execafile-arguments-options) or [`execa.command()`](#execacommandcommand-options). #### escapedCommand Type: `string` Same as [`command`](#command) but escaped. This is meant to be copy and pasted into a shell, for debugging purposes. Since the escaping is fairly basic, this should not be executed directly as a process, including using [`execa()`](#execafile-arguments-options) or [`execa.command()`](#execacommandcommand-options). #### exitCode Type: `number` The numeric exit code of the process that was run. #### stdout Type: `string | Buffer` The output of the process on stdout. #### stderr Type: `string | Buffer` The output of the process on stderr. #### all Type: `string | Buffer | undefined` The output of the process with `stdout` and `stderr` interleaved. This is `undefined` if either: - the [`all` option](#all-2) is `false` (the default value) - `execa.sync()` was used #### failed Type: `boolean` Whether the process failed to run. #### timedOut Type: `boolean` Whether the process timed out. #### isCanceled Type: `boolean` Whether the process was canceled. #### killed Type: `boolean` Whether the process was killed. #### signal Type: `string | undefined` The name of the signal that was used to terminate the process. For example, `SIGFPE`. If a signal terminated the process, this property is defined and included in the error message. Otherwise it is `undefined`. #### signalDescription Type: `string | undefined` A human-friendly description of the signal that was used to terminate the process. For example, `Floating point arithmetic error`. If a signal terminated the process, this property is defined and included in the error message. Otherwise it is `undefined`. It is also `undefined` when the signal is very uncommon which should seldomly happen. #### message Type: `string` Error message when the child process failed to run. In addition to the [underlying error message](#originalMessage), it also contains some information related to why the child process errored. The child process [stderr](#stderr) then [stdout](#stdout) are appended to the end, separated with newlines and not interleaved. #### shortMessage Type: `string` This is the same as the [`message` property](#message) except it does not include the child process stdout/stderr. #### originalMessage Type: `string | undefined` Original error message. This is the same as the `message` property except it includes neither the child process stdout/stderr nor some additional information added by Execa. This is `undefined` unless the child process exited due to an `error` event or a timeout. ### options Type: `object` #### cleanup Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` Kill the spawned process when the parent process exits unless either: - the spawned process is [`detached`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_detached) - the parent process is terminated abruptly, for example, with `SIGKILL` as opposed to `SIGTERM` or a normal exit #### preferLocal Type: `boolean`\ Default: `false` Prefer locally installed binaries when looking for a binary to execute.\ If you `$ npm install foo`, you can then `execa('foo')`. #### localDir Type: `string`\ Default: `process.cwd()` Preferred path to find locally installed binaries in (use with `preferLocal`). #### execPath Type: `string`\ Default: `process.execPath` (Current Node.js executable) Path to the Node.js executable to use in child processes. This can be either an absolute path or a path relative to the [`cwd` option](#cwd). Requires [`preferLocal`](#preferlocal) to be `true`. For example, this can be used together with [`get-node`](https://github.com/ehmicky/get-node) to run a specific Node.js version in a child process. #### buffer Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` Buffer the output from the spawned process. When set to `false`, you must read the output of [`stdout`](#stdout-1) and [`stderr`](#stderr-1) (or [`all`](#all) if the [`all`](#all-2) option is `true`). Otherwise the returned promise will not be resolved/rejected. If the spawned process fails, [`error.stdout`](#stdout), [`error.stderr`](#stderr), and [`error.all`](#all) will contain the buffered data. #### input Type: `string | Buffer | stream.Readable` Write some input to the `stdin` of your binary.\ Streams are not allowed when using the synchronous methods. #### stdin Type: `string | number | Stream | undefined`\ Default: `pipe` Same options as [`stdio`](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v6.x/docs/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio). #### stdout Type: `string | number | Stream | undefined`\ Default: `pipe` Same options as [`stdio`](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v6.x/docs/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio). #### stderr Type: `string | number | Stream | undefined`\ Default: `pipe` Same options as [`stdio`](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v6.x/docs/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio). #### all Type: `boolean`\ Default: `false` Add an `.all` property on the [promise](#all) and the [resolved value](#all-1). The property contains the output of the process with `stdout` and `stderr` interleaved. #### reject Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` Setting this to `false` resolves the promise with the error instead of rejecting it. #### stripFinalNewline Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` Strip the final [newline character](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newline) from the output. #### extendEnv Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` Set to `false` if you don't want to extend the environment variables when providing the `env` property. --- Execa also accepts the below options which are the same as the options for [`child_process#spawn()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_spawn_command_args_options)/[`child_process#exec()`](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_exec_command_options_callback) #### cwd Type: `string`\ Default: `process.cwd()` Current working directory of the child process. #### env Type: `object`\ Default: `process.env` Environment key-value pairs. Extends automatically from `process.env`. Set [`extendEnv`](#extendenv) to `false` if you don't want this. #### argv0 Type: `string` Explicitly set the value of `argv[0]` sent to the child process. This will be set to `file` if not specified. #### stdio Type: `string | string[]`\ Default: `pipe` Child's [stdio](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_stdio) configuration. #### serialization Type: `string`\ Default: `'json'` Specify the kind of serialization used for sending messages between processes when using the [`stdio: 'ipc'`](#stdio) option or [`execa.node()`](#execanodescriptpath-arguments-options): - `json`: Uses `JSON.stringify()` and `JSON.parse()`. - `advanced`: Uses [`v8.serialize()`](https://nodejs.org/api/v8.html#v8_v8_serialize_value) Requires Node.js `13.2.0` or later. [More info.](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_advanced_serialization) #### detached Type: `boolean` Prepare child to run independently of its parent process. Specific behavior [depends on the platform](https://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_options_detached). #### uid Type: `number` Sets the user identity of the process. #### gid Type: `number` Sets the group identity of the process. #### shell Type: `boolean | string`\ Default: `false` If `true`, runs `file` inside of a shell. Uses `/bin/sh` on UNIX and `cmd.exe` on Windows. A different shell can be specified as a string. The shell should understand the `-c` switch on UNIX or `/d /s /c` on Windows. We recommend against using this option since it is: - not cross-platform, encouraging shell-specific syntax. - slower, because of the additional shell interpretation. - unsafe, potentially allowing command injection. #### encoding Type: `string | null`\ Default: `utf8` Specify the character encoding used to decode the `stdout` and `stderr` output. If set to `null`, then `stdout` and `stderr` will be a `Buffer` instead of a string. #### timeout Type: `number`\ Default: `0` If timeout is greater than `0`, the parent will send the signal identified by the `killSignal` property (the default is `SIGTERM`) if the child runs longer than timeout milliseconds. #### maxBuffer Type: `number`\ Default: `100_000_000` (100 MB) Largest amount of data in bytes allowed on `stdout` or `stderr`. #### killSignal Type: `string | number`\ Default: `SIGTERM` Signal value to be used when the spawned process will be killed. #### windowsVerbatimArguments Type: `boolean`\ Default: `false` If `true`, no quoting or escaping of arguments is done on Windows. Ignored on other platforms. This is set to `true` automatically when the `shell` option is `true`. #### windowsHide Type: `boolean`\ Default: `true` On Windows, do not create a new console window. Please note this also prevents `CTRL-C` [from working](https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/29837) on Windows. #### nodePath *(For `.node()` only)* Type: `string`\ Default: [`process.execPath`](https://nodejs.org/api/process.html#process_process_execpath) Node.js executable used to create the child process. #### nodeOptions *(For `.node()` only)* Type: `string[]`\ Default: [`process.execArgv`](https://nodejs.org/api/process.html#process_process_execargv) List of [CLI options](https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#cli_options) passed to the Node.js executable. ## Tips ### Retry on error Gracefully handle failures by using automatic retries and exponential backoff with the [`p-retry`](https://github.com/sindresorhus/p-retry) package: ```js const pRetry = require('p-retry'); const run = async () => { const results = await execa('curl', ['-sSL', 'https://sindresorhus.com/unicorn']); return results; }; (async () => { console.log(await pRetry(run, {retries: 5})); })(); ``` ### Save and pipe output from a child process Let's say you want to show the output of a child process in real-time while also saving it to a variable. ```js const execa = require('execa'); const subprocess = execa('echo', ['foo']); subprocess.stdout.pipe(process.stdout); (async () => { const {stdout} = await subprocess; console.log('child output:', stdout); })(); ``` ### Redirect output to a file ```js const execa = require('execa'); const subprocess = execa('echo', ['foo']) subprocess.stdout.pipe(fs.createWriteStream('stdout.txt')) ``` ### Redirect input from a file ```js const execa = require('execa'); const subprocess = execa('cat') fs.createReadStream('stdin.txt').pipe(subprocess.stdin) ``` ### Execute the current package's binary ```js const {getBinPathSync} = require('get-bin-path'); const binPath = getBinPathSync(); const subprocess = execa(binPath); ``` `execa` can be combined with [`get-bin-path`](https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path) to test the current package's binary. As opposed to hard-coding the path to the binary, this validates that the `package.json` `bin` field is correctly set up. ## Related - [gulp-execa](https://github.com/ehmicky/gulp-execa) - Gulp plugin for `execa` - [nvexeca](https://github.com/ehmicky/nvexeca) - Run `execa` using any Node.js version - [sudo-prompt](https://github.com/jorangreef/sudo-prompt) - Run commands with elevated privileges. ## Maintainers - [Sindre Sorhus](https://github.com/sindresorhus) - [@ehmicky](https://github.com/ehmicky) ---

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c	File Name	Size	T	Date
zip	lib/	4096	---	2026-04-22 12:53:58
-	index.d.ts	17674	ts	2026-04-22 12:53:59
-	index.js	6516	js	2026-04-22 12:53:58
-	license	1117	%	2026-04-22 12:53:58
-	package.json	1282	json	2026-04-22 12:53:58
-	readme.md	19747	md	2026-04-22 12:53:58

🌲 / mnt pelican docker rootfs overlayfs 35e8d9b717682b72db2f62a2b1eeab1abbe9a93a29c3b59ec67ecc072a950e48 app node_modules execa

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