Change working directory in my current shell context when running Node script

Question

I am trying to change the working directory of my Node.js script when it is run from a bin script. I have something like the following:

#!/usr/bin/env node process.chdir('/Users') 

When I then run this file with ./bin/nodefile, it exits, but the working directory of the current shell context has not changed. I have also tried shelljs, but that does not work either.

What is the best way to do this? I understand it's working but it's just in a separate process.

Answer 1

The correct way to change directories is actually with process.chdir(directory). Here's an example from the documentation:

console.log('Starting directory: ' + process.cwd()); try {   process.chdir('/tmp');   console.log('New directory: ' + process.cwd()); } catch (err) {   console.log('chdir: ' + err); } 

This is also testable in the Node.js REPL:

[monitor@s2 ~]$ node > process.cwd() '/home/monitor' > process.chdir('../'); undefined > process.cwd(); '/home' 

Answer 2

There is no built-in method for Node to change the CWD of the underlying shell running the Node process.

You can change the current working directory of the Node process through the command process.chdir().

var process = require('process'); process.chdir('../'); 

When the Node process exists, you will find yourself back in the CWD you started the process in.