How to create an empty file in Node.js

Oct 9, 2018

Learn how to create an empty file in Node.js using fs.openSync() with the w flag, and how to wrap it in fs.closeSync() when you do not need the descriptor.

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The method fs.openSync() provided by the fs built-in module is the best way.

It returns a file descriptor:

const fs = require('fs')
const filePath = './.data/initialized'

const fd = fs.openSync(filePath, 'w')

the w flag makes sure the file is created if not existing, and if the file exists it overwrites it with a new file, overriding its content.

Use the a flag to avoid overwriting. The file is still created if not existing.

If you don’t need the file descriptor, you can wrap the call in a fs.closeSync() call, to close the file:

const fs = require('fs')
const filePath = './.data/initialized'

fs.closeSync(fs.openSync(filePath, 'w'))

Tagged: Node.js · All topics

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