Node.js path.join() Method

The path.join() method in Node.js is part of the Path module, which is used for handling and transforming file paths. The method is used to join multiple path segments together into one complete path, ensuring that the resulting path is formatted correctly for the current operating system.

In this article, we'll learn more about the path.join() method and explore how it works.

What is the path.join() Method?

The path.join() method joins all given path segments together using the appropriate platform-specific separator (e.g., a slash / on Linux/macOS and a backslash \ on Windows). It ensures that slashes are placed correctly and removes redundant or unnecessary slashes, making sure that the generated path is valid and usable.

This is particularly important when building paths dynamically, for example, when working with directories, file structures, or URLs in cross-platform environments.

Syntax

path.join([path1], [path2], [...])

Parameters:

• path1, path2, ...: These are the path segments that you want to join together. You can provide multiple path segments, and the function will join them correctly.

Return Value:

• It returns a string with the complete normalized path containing all the segments.

Node.js path.join() Method Examples

The below examples illustrate the path.join() method in Node.js:

Example 1: In this example, we demonstrate the path.join() method. It combines path segments, handling various cases like joining two or three segments and handling zero-length paths effectively.

import path from 'path';

// Joining 2 path-segments
let path1 = path.join("users/admin/files", "index.html");
console.log(path1)

// Joining 3 path-segments
let path2 = path.join("users", "geeks/website", "index.html");
console.log(path2)

// Joining with zero-length paths
let path3 = path.join("users", "", "", "index.html");
console.log(path3)

Output:

Example 2: In this example we use the path.join() method. It normalizes the final path, handles zero-length paths, and retrieves the directory path one folder above the current directory using __dirname.

// Node.js program to demonstrate the   
// path.join() Method  

// Import the path module
const path = require('path');
 
// Normalizing of the final path
path1 = path.join("users", "..", "files", "readme.md");
console.log(path1)
 
// Zero length final path
// returns a period (.)
path2 = path.join("users", "..");
console.log(path2)
 
// Getting the directory path one folder above
console.log("Current Directory: ", __dirname);
path3 = path.join(__dirname, "..");
console.log("Directory above:", path3)

Output: 

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Article Tags :

• JavaScript
• Web Technologies
• Node.js
• Node.js-path-module