README.md
  1  Node.js - jsonfile
  2  ================
  3  
  4  Easily read/write JSON files in Node.js. _Note: this module cannot be used in the browser._
  5  
  6  [![npm Package](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/jsonfile.svg?style=flat-square)](https://www.npmjs.org/package/jsonfile)
  7  [![build status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/jprichardson/node-jsonfile.svg)](http://travis-ci.org/jprichardson/node-jsonfile)
  8  [![windows Build status](https://img.shields.io/appveyor/ci/jprichardson/node-jsonfile/master.svg?label=windows%20build)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/jprichardson/node-jsonfile/branch/master)
  9  
 10  <a href="https://github.com/feross/standard"><img src="https://cdn.rawgit.com/feross/standard/master/sticker.svg" alt="Standard JavaScript" width="100"></a>
 11  
 12  Why?
 13  ----
 14  
 15  Writing `JSON.stringify()` and then `fs.writeFile()` and `JSON.parse()` with `fs.readFile()` enclosed in `try/catch` blocks became annoying.
 16  
 17  
 18  
 19  Installation
 20  ------------
 21  
 22      npm install --save jsonfile
 23  
 24  
 25  
 26  API
 27  ---
 28  
 29  * [`readFile(filename, [options], callback)`](#readfilefilename-options-callback)
 30  * [`readFileSync(filename, [options])`](#readfilesyncfilename-options)
 31  * [`writeFile(filename, obj, [options], callback)`](#writefilefilename-obj-options-callback)
 32  * [`writeFileSync(filename, obj, [options])`](#writefilesyncfilename-obj-options)
 33  
 34  ----
 35  
 36  ### readFile(filename, [options], callback)
 37  
 38  `options` (`object`, default `undefined`): Pass in any [`fs.readFile`](https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_readfile_path_options_callback) options or set `reviver` for a [JSON reviver](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/parse).
 39    - `throws` (`boolean`, default: `true`). If `JSON.parse` throws an error, pass this error to the callback.
 40    If `false`, returns `null` for the object.
 41  
 42  
 43  ```js
 44  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
 45  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
 46  jsonfile.readFile(file, function (err, obj) {
 47    if (err) console.error(err)
 48    console.dir(obj)
 49  })
 50  ```
 51  
 52  You can also use this method with promises. The `readFile` method will return a promise if you do not pass a callback function.
 53  
 54  ```js
 55  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
 56  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
 57  jsonfile.readFile(file)
 58    .then(obj => console.dir(obj))
 59    .catch(error => console.error(error))
 60  ```
 61  
 62  ----
 63  
 64  ### readFileSync(filename, [options])
 65  
 66  `options` (`object`, default `undefined`): Pass in any [`fs.readFileSync`](https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_readfilesync_path_options) options or set `reviver` for a [JSON reviver](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/parse).
 67  - `throws` (`boolean`, default: `true`). If an error is encountered reading or parsing the file, throw the error. If `false`, returns `null` for the object.
 68  
 69  ```js
 70  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
 71  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
 72  
 73  console.dir(jsonfile.readFileSync(file))
 74  ```
 75  
 76  ----
 77  
 78  ### writeFile(filename, obj, [options], callback)
 79  
 80  `options`: Pass in any [`fs.writeFile`](https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_writefile_file_data_options_callback) options or set `replacer` for a [JSON replacer](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/stringify). Can also pass in `spaces`, or override `EOL` string or set `finalEOL` flag as `false` to not save the file with `EOL` at the end.
 81  
 82  
 83  ```js
 84  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
 85  
 86  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
 87  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
 88  
 89  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj, function (err) {
 90    if (err) console.error(err)
 91  })
 92  ```
 93  Or use with promises as follows:
 94  
 95  ```js
 96  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
 97  
 98  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
 99  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
100  
101  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj)
102    .then(res => {
103      console.log('Write complete')
104    })
105    .catch(error => console.error(error))
106  ```
107  
108  
109  **formatting with spaces:**
110  
111  ```js
112  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
113  
114  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
115  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
116  
117  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj, { spaces: 2 }, function (err) {
118    if (err) console.error(err)
119  })
120  ```
121  
122  **overriding EOL:**
123  
124  ```js
125  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
126  
127  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
128  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
129  
130  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj, { spaces: 2, EOL: '\r\n' }, function (err) {
131    if (err) console.error(err)
132  })
133  ```
134  
135  
136  **disabling the EOL at the end of file:**
137  
138  ```js
139  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
140  
141  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
142  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
143  
144  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj, { spaces: 2, finalEOL: false }, function (err) {
145    if (err) console.log(err)
146  })
147  ```
148  
149  **appending to an existing JSON file:**
150  
151  You can use `fs.writeFile` option `{ flag: 'a' }` to achieve this.
152  
153  ```js
154  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
155  
156  const file = '/tmp/mayAlreadyExistedData.json'
157  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
158  
159  jsonfile.writeFile(file, obj, { flag: 'a' }, function (err) {
160    if (err) console.error(err)
161  })
162  ```
163  
164  ----
165  
166  ### writeFileSync(filename, obj, [options])
167  
168  `options`: Pass in any [`fs.writeFileSync`](https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_writefilesync_file_data_options) options or set `replacer` for a [JSON replacer](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/stringify). Can also pass in `spaces`, or override `EOL` string or set `finalEOL` flag as `false` to not save the file with `EOL` at the end.
169  
170  ```js
171  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
172  
173  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
174  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
175  
176  jsonfile.writeFileSync(file, obj)
177  ```
178  
179  **formatting with spaces:**
180  
181  ```js
182  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
183  
184  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
185  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
186  
187  jsonfile.writeFileSync(file, obj, { spaces: 2 })
188  ```
189  
190  **overriding EOL:**
191  
192  ```js
193  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
194  
195  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
196  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
197  
198  jsonfile.writeFileSync(file, obj, { spaces: 2, EOL: '\r\n' })
199  ```
200  
201  **disabling the EOL at the end of file:**
202  
203  ```js
204  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
205  
206  const file = '/tmp/data.json'
207  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
208  
209  jsonfile.writeFileSync(file, obj, { spaces: 2, finalEOL: false })
210  ```
211  
212  **appending to an existing JSON file:**
213  
214  You can use `fs.writeFileSync` option `{ flag: 'a' }` to achieve this.
215  
216  ```js
217  const jsonfile = require('jsonfile')
218  
219  const file = '/tmp/mayAlreadyExistedData.json'
220  const obj = { name: 'JP' }
221  
222  jsonfile.writeFileSync(file, obj, { flag: 'a' })
223  ```
224  
225  License
226  -------
227  
228  (MIT License)
229  
230  Copyright 2012-2016, JP Richardson  <jprichardson@gmail.com>