readme.md

opn

A better node-open. Opens stuff like websites, files, executables. Cross-platform.

If need this for Electron, use shell.openItem() instead.

Why?

• Actively maintained.
• Supports app arguments.
• Safer as it uses spawn instead of exec.
• Fixes most of the open node-open issues.
• Includes the latest xdg-open script for Linux.
• Supports WSL paths to Windows apps under /mnt/*.

Install

$ npm install opn

Usage

const open = require('opn');

// Opens the image in the default image viewer
(async () => {
	await open('unicorn.png');

	console.log('The image viewer clsoed');
})();

// Opens the url in the default browser
open('http://sindresorhus.com');

// Specify the app to open in
open('http://sindresorhus.com', {app: 'firefox'});

// Specify app arguments
open('http://sindresorhus.com', {app: ['google chrome', '--incognito']});

API

Uses the command open on macOS, start on Windows and xdg-open on other platforms.

opn(target, [options])

Returns a promise for the spawned child process. You would normally not need to use this for anything, but it can be useful if you'd like to attach custom event listeners or perform other operations directly on the spawned process.

target

Type: string

The thing you want to open. Can be a URL, file, or executable.

Opens in the default app for the file type. For example, URLs opens in your default browser.

options

Type: Object

wait

Type: boolean
Default: true

Wait for the opened app to exit before fulfilling the promise. If false it's fulfilled immediately when opening the app.

On Windows you have to explicitly specify an app for it to be able to wait.

app

Type: string | string[]

Specify the app to open the target with, or an array with the app and app arguments.

The app name is platform dependent. Don't hard code it in reusable modules. For example, Chrome is google chrome on macOS, google-chrome on Linux and chrome on Windows.

You may also pass in the app's full path. For example on WSL, this can be /mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe for the Windows installation of Chrome.

Related

• opn-cli - CLI for this module
• open-editor - Open files in your editor at a specific line and column

License

MIT © Sindre Sorhus