# get-bin-path

> Get the current package's binary path

Latest version **11.0.1** (published 2025-03-29) · Apache-2.0 license · 0 weekly downloads

## Install

```sh
npm install get-bin-path
pnpm add get-bin-path
yarn add get-bin-path
bun add get-bin-path
```

## Health

**Score 40/100 (D)** — status: maintenance-mode.

Positive: has types; esm support; no vulnerabilities; high quality score.

Warnings: low downloads.

Negative: stale; low maintenance score.

## Facts

| | |
|---|---|
| Version | 11.0.1 |
| Published | 2025-03-29 |
| First published | 2019-07-01 |
| Weekly downloads | 0 |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| TypeScript types | bundled |
| Module format | ESM + CommonJS |
| Node | >=18.18.0 |
| Dependencies | 1 |
| Unpacked size | 24.8 KB |
| Known vulnerabilities | 0 |
| Install scripts | no |
| GitHub stars | 37 |
| Author | ehmicky |
| Maintainers | ehmicky |
| Keywords | binary, package-json, npm, path, package, unit-testing, testing, cwd, bin, executable, package-manager, nodejs, javascript, typescript, es6, cli, shell, terminal, dependency-management, library |

## Links

- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/get-bin-path
- Repository: https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path
- Homepage: https://www.github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path
- Issues: https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/issues
- npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/get-bin-path

## Dependencies (1)

- [escalade](https://npm.io/package/escalade.md) ^3.2.0

## Alternatives

- [base64url](https://npm.io/package/base64url.md) — 6.1M weekly downloads
- [get-installed-path](https://npm.io/package/get-installed-path.md) — 502.9K weekly downloads
- [@uppy/url](https://npm.io/package/@uppy/url.md) — 185.8K weekly downloads
- [@d3fc/d3fc-shape](https://npm.io/package/@d3fc/d3fc-shape.md) — 16.2K weekly downloads
- [localizer](https://npm.io/package/localizer.md) — 226 weekly downloads

## Recent versions

- 11.0.1 (latest) — 2025-03-29
- 11.0.0 — 2023-10-28
- 10.0.0 — 2023-05-13
- 9.0.0 — 2023-03-22
- 8.0.0 — 2022-12-04
- 7.3.0 — 2022-12-04
- 7.2.1 — 2022-11-11
- 7.2.0 — 2022-11-11
- 7.1.0 — 2022-08-16
- 7.0.0 — 2022-05-09
- 6.1.0 — 2021-12-04
- 6.0.1 — 2021-06-22
- 6.0.0 — 2021-06-22
- 5.1.0 — 2020-05-18
- 4.0.1 — 2020-04-14
- … 6 more at https://npm.io/package/get-bin-path/versions

## README

<picture>
  <source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ehmicky/design/main/get-bin-path/get-bin-path_dark.svg"/>
  <img alt="get-bin-path logo" src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ehmicky/design/main/get-bin-path/get-bin-path.svg" width="500"/>
</picture>

[![Node](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Node.js-808080?logo=node.js&colorA=404040&logoColor=66cc33)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/get-bin-path)
[![TypeScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Typed-808080?logo=typescript&colorA=404040&logoColor=0096ff)](/src/main.d.ts)
[![Codecov](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Tested%20100%25-808080?logo=codecov&colorA=404040)](https://codecov.io/gh/ehmicky/get-bin-path)
[![Mastodon](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Mastodon-808080.svg?logo=mastodon&colorA=404040&logoColor=9590F9)](https://fosstodon.org/@ehmicky)
[![Medium](https://img.shields.io/badge/-Medium-808080.svg?logo=medium&colorA=404040)](https://medium.com/@ehmicky)

Get the current package's binary path (using the `package.json`
[`bin`](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-json#bin) or
[`directories.bin`](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-json#directoriesbin)
field).

This is useful when testing a package's binary. Using `get-bin-path` (as opposed
to hard-coding the path to the binary):

- validates that the `package.json` `bin` or `directories.bin` field is
  correctly setup
- decouples the binary path from the tests, which allows moving the file without
  rewriting the tests

# Examples

```js
import { getBinPath } from 'get-bin-path'

// `binPath` is the absolute path to the current package's binary
const binPath = await getBinPath()
```

```js
// Test runner
import test from 'ava'
// Library to execute child processes / commands
import { execa } from 'execa'

import { getBinPath } from 'get-bin-path'

const binPath = await getBinPath()

test('Binary file should return "true"', async (t) => {
  const { stdout } = await execa(binPath)
  t.is(stdout, 'true')
})
```

# Install

```
npm install get-bin-path
```

This package works in Node.js >=18.18.0.

This is an ES module. It must be loaded using
[an `import` or `import()` statement](https://gist.github.com/sindresorhus/a39789f98801d908bbc7ff3ecc99d99c),
not `require()`. If TypeScript is used, it must be configured to
[output ES modules](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/esm-node.html),
not CommonJS.

# API

## getBinPath(options?)

[`options`](#options): `object`\
_Returns_: `Promise<string | undefined>`

Returns the current package's binary absolute path. When no `package.json` or
binary can be found, `undefined` is returned instead.

```js
import { getBinPath } from 'get-bin-path'

const binPath = await getBinPath()
```

## getBinPathSync(options?)

[`options`](#options): `object`\
_Returns_: `string | undefined`

Same but synchronous.

```js
import { getBinPathSync } from 'get-bin-path'

const binPath = getBinPathSync()
```

### options

_Type_: `object`

#### options.name

_Type_: `string`\
_Default_: `package.json` `name` field

Name of the binary.

Only needs to be specified when the package exports several binaries in the
`package.json`
[`bin`](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-json#bin) or
[`directories.bin`](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-json#directoriesbin)
field.

```json
{
  "name": "foo",
  "bin": {
    "foo": "path/to/foo.js",
    "bar": "path/to/bar.js"
  }
}
```

When the `package.json`'s `bin` or `directories.bin` field is a `string`, the
package
[`name` field](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-json#name)
must match the `name` option.

#### options.cwd

_Type_: `string`\
_Default_: Current directory

Override the current directory, which is used when retrieving the
`package.json`.

# See also

- [`bin-path-cli`](https://github.com/tommy-mitchell/bin-path-cli): execute the
  current package's binary
- [`execa`](https://github.com/sindresorhus/execa): process execution for humans

# Support

For any question, _don't hesitate_ to [submit an issue on GitHub](../../issues).

Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce a
[Code of conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) in order to promote a positive and
inclusive environment.

# Contributing

This project was made with ❤️. The simplest way to give back is by starring and
sharing it online.

If the documentation is unclear or has a typo, please click on the page's `Edit`
button (pencil icon) and suggest a correction.

If you would like to help us fix a bug or add a new feature, please check our
[guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md). Pull requests are welcome!

Thanks go to our wonderful contributors:

<!-- ALL-CONTRIBUTORS-LIST:START -->
<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
<!-- markdownlint-disable -->
<table>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://fosstodon.org/@ehmicky"><img src="https://avatars2.githubusercontent.com/u/8136211?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="ehmicky"/><br /><sub><b>ehmicky</b></sub></a><br /><a href="https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/commits?author=ehmicky" title="Code">💻</a> <a href="#design-ehmicky" title="Design">🎨</a> <a href="#ideas-ehmicky" title="Ideas, Planning, & Feedback">🤔</a> <a href="https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/commits?author=ehmicky" title="Documentation">📖</a></td>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://github.com/evocateur/evocateur"><img src="https://avatars3.githubusercontent.com/u/5605?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="Daniel Stockman"/><br /><sub><b>Daniel Stockman</b></sub></a><br /><a href="https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/commits?author=evocateur" title="Code">💻</a></td>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://github.com/kabirbaidhya"><img src="https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/3315763?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="Kabir Baidhya"/><br /><sub><b>Kabir Baidhya</b></sub></a><br /><a href="https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/commits?author=kabirbaidhya" title="Code">💻</a></td>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://github.com/NMinhNguyen"><img src="https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/2852660?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="Minh Nguyen"/><br /><sub><b>Minh Nguyen</b></sub></a><br /><a href="#ideas-NMinhNguyen" title="Ideas, Planning, & Feedback">🤔</a></td>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://github.com/tmillr"><img src="https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/45028928?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="Tyler Miller"/><br /><sub><b>Tyler Miller</b></sub></a><br /><a href="#ideas-tmillr" title="Ideas, Planning, & Feedback">🤔</a></td>
      <td align="center" valign="top" width="14.28%"><a href="https://tommymitchell.io"><img src="https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/1403701?v=4?s=100" width="100px;" alt="Tommy"/><br /><sub><b>Tommy</b></sub></a><br /><a href="#ideas-tommy-mitchell" title="Ideas, Planning, & Feedback">🤔</a> <a href="https://github.com/ehmicky/get-bin-path/commits?author=tommy-mitchell" title="Code">💻</a></td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<!-- markdownlint-restore -->
<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->

<!-- ALL-CONTRIBUTORS-LIST:END -->

---
_Source: https://npm.io/package/get-bin-path · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._