mktemp

create temporary files and directories

Installation

$ npm install mktemp

Usage

import * as os from 'node:os';
import * as path from 'node:path';
import * as mktemp from 'mktemp';

const tempDir = os.tmpdir();

mktemp.createFile(path.join(tempDir, 'XXXXX.txt'), function (err, path) {
  if (err) throw err;
  // path match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{5}\.txt$/
  console.log(path);
});

// return value match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{5}\.tmp$/
mktemp.createFileSync(path.join(tempDir, 'XXXXX.tmp'));

mktemp.createDir(path.join(tempDir, 'XXXXXXX'), function (err, path) {
  if (err) throw err;
  // path match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{7}$/
  console.log(path);
});

// return value match a /^XXX-[\da-zA-Z]{3}$/
mktemp.createDirSync(path.join(tempDir, 'XXX-XXX'));

if support Promise, can use Promise style.

import * as mktemp from 'mktemp';

mktemp
  .createFile('XXXXX.txt')
  .then(function (path) {
    // path match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{5}\.txt$/
    console.log(path);
  })
  .catch(function (err) {
    console.error(err);
  });

mktemp
  .createDir('XXXXX')
  .then(function (path) {
    // path match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{5}$/
    console.log(path);
  })
  .catch(function (err) {
    console.error(err);
  });

mktemp functions are replace to random string from placeholder "X" in template. see example:

mktemp.createFileSync('XXXXXXX'); // match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{7}$/
mktemp.createFileSync('XXX.tmp'); // match a /^[\da-zA-Z]{3}\.tmp$/
mktemp.createFileSync('XXX-XXX'); // match a /^XXX-[\da-zA-Z]{3}$/

Functions

createFile(template[, mode = 0o600[, callback]])

• template
  • String - filename template
• mode
  • Number - file permission mode (default: 0o600)
• callback
  • function(err, path) - callback function
    • err : Error|Null - error object
    • path : String - path

create blank file of unique filename. return Promise if callback is not passed.

createFileSync(template[, mode = 0o600])

• template
  • String - filename template
• mode
  • Number - file permission mode (default: 0o600)
• return
  • String - path

sync version createFile.

createDir(template[, mode = 0o700[, callback]])

• template
  • String - dirname template
• mode
  • Number - directory permission mode (default: 0o700)
• callback
  • function(err, path) - callback function
    • err : Error|Null - error object
    • path : String - path

create directory of unique dirname. return Promise if callback is not passed.

createDirSync(template[, mode = 0o700])

• template
  • String - dirname template
• mode
  • Number - directory permission mode (default: 0o700)
• return
  • String - path

sync version createDir.

Contributors

• Michael Ficarra
• rjz

License

The MIT license.

2.0.2 / 2025-09-13

• publish with OIDC authentication

2.0.1 / 2025-06-22

• update engines
• use devEngines

2.0.0 / 2025-06-21

• modernize
• permissions can be set
• retries increased

1.0.1 / 2023-05-03

• add missing type files

1.0.0 / 2019-05-27

• modernize

0.4.0 / 2015-02-16

• supported Promise
• changed to use power-assert from expect.js

0.3.5 / 2014-06-25

• changed to use setImmediate in async functions
• refactored

0.3.4 / 2013-11-23

• changed to throw error if error code is not EEXIST

0.3.3 / 2013-11-14

• changed from fs.exists to fs.open/fs.close/fs.mkdir

0.3.2 / 2013-09-08

• changed from chai to expect.js

0.3.1 / 2013-06-19

• changed to fast mkrand

0.3.0 / 2013-04-06

• changed to create random name again if file exists
• deleted mode parameter

0.2.1 / 2013-02-29

• added support for node.js 0.10

0.2.0 / 2013-02-05

• changed to replace placeholder near end of line

0.1.0 / 2013-01-16

• initial release