# tempy > Get a random temporary file or directory path Latest version **3.2.0** (published 2026-02-02) · MIT license · 0 weekly downloads > **Better alternative:** See documentation for alternatives (https://github.com/AikidoSec/module-replacements/blob/main/docs/tempy) ## Install ```sh npm install tempy pnpm add tempy yarn add tempy bun add tempy ``` ## Health **Score 60/100 (C)** — status: stable. Positive: has types; esm support; no vulnerabilities; high quality score. Warnings: low downloads. ## Facts | | | |---|---| | Version | 3.2.0 | | Published | 2026-02-02 | | First published | 2017-03-28 | | Weekly downloads | 0 | | License | MIT | | TypeScript types | bundled | | Module format | ESM | | Node | >=14.16 | | Dependencies | 4 | | Unpacked size | 17.5 KB | | Known vulnerabilities | 0 | | Install scripts | no | | GitHub stars | 448 | | Author | Sindre Sorhus | | Maintainers | sindresorhus | | Keywords | temp, temporary, path, file, directory, folder, tempfile, tempdir, tmpdir, tmpfile, random, unique | ## Links - npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/tempy - Repository: https://github.com/sindresorhus/tempy - Homepage: https://github.com/sindresorhus/tempy#readme - Issues: https://github.com/sindresorhus/tempy/issues - Funding: https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus - npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/tempy ## Dependencies (4) - [temp-dir](https://npm.io/package/temp-dir.md) ^3.0.0 - [is-stream](https://npm.io/package/is-stream.md) ^3.0.0 - [type-fest](https://npm.io/package/type-fest.md) ^2.12.2 - [unique-string](https://npm.io/package/unique-string.md) ^3.0.0 ## 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 - 3.2.0 (latest) — 2026-02-02 - 3.1.2 — 2026-01-25 - 3.1.1 — 2026-01-21 - 3.1.0 — 2023-07-10 - 3.0.0 — 2022-04-18 - 2.0.0 — 2021-08-18 - 1.0.1 — 2021-03-17 - 1.0.0 — 2020-10-12 - 0.7.1 — 2020-09-26 - 0.7.0 — 2020-09-13 - 0.6.0 — 2020-07-18 - 0.5.0 — 2020-03-09 - 0.4.0 — 2020-02-12 - 0.3.0 — 2019-04-16 - 0.2.1 — 2017-09-19 - … 2 more at https://npm.io/package/tempy/versions ## README # tempy > Get a random temporary file or directory path ## Install ```sh npm install tempy ``` ## Usage ```js import {temporaryFile, temporaryDirectory} from 'tempy'; temporaryFile(); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/4f504b9edb5ba0e89451617bf9f971dd' temporaryFile({extension: 'png'}); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/a9fb0decd08179eb6cf4691568aa2018.png' temporaryFile({name: 'unicorn.png'}); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/f7f62bfd4e2a05f1589947647ed3f9ec/unicorn.png' temporaryDirectory(); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/2f3d094aec2cb1b93bb0f4cffce5ebd6' temporaryDirectory({prefix: 'name'}); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/name_3c085674ad31223b9653c88f725d6b41' ``` ## API ### temporaryFile(options?) Get a temporary file path you can write to. ### temporaryFileTask(callback, options?) The `callback` resolves with a temporary file path you can write to. The file is automatically cleaned up after the callback is executed. Returns a promise that resolves with the return value of the callback after it is executed and the file is cleaned up. #### callback Type: `(tempPath: string) => void` A callback that is executed with the temp file path. Can be asynchronous. #### options Type: `object` *You usually won't need either the `extension` or `name` option. Specify them only when actually needed.* ##### extension Type: `string` File extension. ##### name Type: `string` Filename. Mutually exclusive with the `extension` option. ##### parentDirectory Type: `string` The name of a directory inside the OS temporary directory to create the temporary file in. The directory is created automatically if it doesn't exist. By default, the temporary file is created directly inside the OS temporary directory. This option lets you group related temporary files into a subdirectory. Useful for organizing temporary files by app or task, making cleanup and debugging easier. ```js import {temporaryFile} from 'tempy'; temporaryFile({parentDirectory: 'my-app'}); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/my-app/4f504b9edb5ba0e89451617bf9f971dd' ``` ##### rootDirectory Type: `string` An absolute path to use as the base directory for temporary files, instead of the OS temporary directory. *You usually won't need this option. Prefer the `parentDirectory` option instead.* Useful for niche use-cases like different filesystem mounts or journaling filesystems. The directory is created automatically if it doesn't exist. ```js import {temporaryFile} from 'tempy'; temporaryFile({rootDirectory: '/mnt/fast-storage/tmp'}); //=> '/mnt/fast-storage/tmp/4f504b9edb5ba0e89451617bf9f971dd' ``` ### temporaryDirectory(options?) Get a temporary directory path. The directory is created for you. ### temporaryDirectoryTask(callback, options?) The `callback` resolves with a temporary directory path you can write to. The directory is automatically cleaned up after the callback is executed. Returns a promise that resolves with the return value of the callback after it is executed and the directory is cleaned up. ##### callback Type: `(tempPath: string) => void` A callback that is executed with the temp directory path. Can be asynchronous. #### options Type: `Object` ##### prefix Type: `string` Directory prefix. Useful for testing by making it easier to identify cache directories that are created. *You usually won't need this option. Specify it only when actually needed.* ##### parentDirectory Type: `string` The name of a directory inside the OS temporary directory to create the temporary directory in. The directory is created automatically if it doesn't exist. By default, the temporary directory is created directly inside the OS temporary directory. This option lets you group related temporary directories into a subdirectory. ```js import {temporaryDirectory} from 'tempy'; temporaryDirectory({parentDirectory: 'my-app'}); //=> '/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T/my-app/4f504b9edb5ba0e89451617bf9f971dd' ``` ##### rootDirectory Type: `string` An absolute path to use as the base directory for temporary directories, instead of the OS temporary directory. *You usually won't need this option. Prefer the `parentDirectory` option instead.* Useful for niche use-cases like different filesystem mounts or journaling filesystems. The directory is created automatically if it doesn't exist. ```js import {temporaryDirectory} from 'tempy'; temporaryDirectory({rootDirectory: '/mnt/fast-storage/tmp'}); //=> '/mnt/fast-storage/tmp/2f3d094aec2cb1b93bb0f4cffce5ebd6' ``` ### temporaryWrite(fileContent, options?) Write data to a random temp file. ### temporaryWriteTask(fileContent, callback, options?) Write data to a random temp file. The file is automatically cleaned up after the callback is executed. Returns a promise that resolves with the return value of the callback after it is executed and the file is cleaned up. ##### fileContent Type: `string | Buffer | TypedArray | DataView | stream.Readable` Data to write to the temp file. ##### callback Type: `(tempPath: string) => void` A callback that is executed with the temp file path. Can be asynchronous. ##### options See [options](#options). ### temporaryWriteSync(fileContent, options?) Synchronously write data to a random temp file. ##### fileContent Type: `string | Buffer | TypedArray | DataView` Data to write to the temp file. ##### options See [options](#options). ### rootTemporaryDirectory Get the root temporary directory path. For example: `/private/var/folders/3x/jf5977fn79jbglr7rk0tq4d00000gn/T` --- _Source: https://npm.io/package/tempy · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._