Better spawn
Because child_process.exec lacks features and child_process.spawn acts weird, better-spawn was made.
It is a very simple wrapper around child_process.spawn to make opening and closing work consistently in linux and windows.
Used by script-runner
Install
npm install better-spawnBreaking changes @1
child.closed and child.killed are now promises.
The boolean states are now available at child.isClosed and child.isKilled.
Usage
spawn = require('better-spawn')
child = spawn('node', options)Options
| Name | type | default | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| cwd | String | process.cwd | current working directory |
| env | Object | process.env | environment variables |
| env.PATH | String | process.env.PATH + ./node_modules/.bin | used to resolve commands |
| stdio | See documentation | ["pipe","inherit","inherit"] |
to control output |
| noOut | Boolean | null |
sets stdio[1] = "pipe"
|
| noErr | Boolean | null |
sets stdio[2] = "pipe"
|
| windowsVerbatimArguments | Boolean | isWindows | to support windows |
| detach | Boolean | !isWindows | to support killing on unix |
| Promise | Function | global.Promise | supply your own Promise lib |
Props
| Name | type | description |
|---|---|---|
| cmd | String | cmd called |
| isKilled | Boolean | is child process killed |
| isClosed | Boolean | is child process closed |
| killed | Promise | fulfilled when child process killed |
| closed | Promise | fulfilled when child process closed |
| close | Function | call to kill child process |
Examples
// pipe to shell without losing color
child = spawn('node')
// suppress normal output, but maintain err output
child = spawn('node',{noOut:true})
// set empty env (default in node)
child = spawn('node',{env: {PATH:""}})Compare to other solutions
-
child_process.exec, spawns in shell but output has to be piped - color information will be lost. -
child_process.spawn, doesn't spawn in shell, so it has to be done by hand (differs in linux and windows) Main problem is,shwon't kill its children bychild.kill(), see: node#2098 -
cross-spawn-asynca wrapper forchild_process.spawnto support windows quirks likePATHEXTorshebangsnot working -
execaa wrapper forcross-spawn-asyncwhich adds the shell logic, to behave likechild_process.exec, adds promises, modifiesPATH
better-spawn doesn't support PATHEXT or shebangs on windows
License
Copyright (c) 2016 Paul Pflugradt Licensed under the MIT license.
