How Can I Execute Command Line Binaries in Node.js?

Executing a Command Line Binary with Node.js

In Node.js, executing third-party command line binaries can be achieved using the child_process module. Here's a look at how to approach this task:

child_process.exec: For buffered output, use child_process.exec. It allows you to execute a command and retrieve its complete output as a buffer.

child_process.spawn: If you require more granular control over the process I/O, utilize child_process.spawn. This method enables you to interact with the process's stdin, stdout, and stderr through streams, allowing for more flexible handling of large amounts of data.

child_process.execFile: An alternative option for executing files specifically is child_process.execFile. It operates similarly to spawn, but provides a callback for retrieving buffered output.

Node 0.11.12 and Higher: Node versions 0.11.12 and up introduce synchronous counterparts to the asynchronous methods mentioned above. These synchronous versions allow for straightforward scripting tasks, but do not return an instance of ChildProcess.

Example Code for PrinceXML Conversion (Ruby vs. Node.js):

Ruby	Node.js
cmd = system("prince -v builds/pdf/book.html -o builds/pdf/book.pdf")	const { exec } = require('child_process'); exec('prince -v builds/pdf/book.html -o builds/pdf/book.pdf', (err, stdout, stderr) => {...})

This example illustrates how to execute the PrinceXML command line binary in both Ruby and Node.js to convert a file to a PDF.

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