The "open" package is a powerful and versatile tool that allows you to open different types of resources such as URLs, files, and executables, all from the convenience of your JavaScript code. It is specifically designed for use in command-line tools and scripts, offering a range of functionalities such as opening a URL in a default or specified browser, opening an app with certain arguments, and even controlling whether the opened app should quit before the JavaScript promise is fulfilled. Support for Linux, Windows, and macOS ensures broad compatibility, which explains its popular use in cross-platform applications.

How do you use open?

To use the "open" package in your JavaScript code, first ensure that it's installed in your project. You can install it using npm with the command npm install open. Once installed, you can import it into your code file and utilize its functions as per your requirements. Here are a few code usage examples:

Opening a URL in the default browser:

import open from 'open';
await open('https://yourwebsite.com');

Opening a file in its default application:

import open from 'open';
await open('your-file.png', {wait: true}); //waits for the opened app to quit

Opening a URL in a specific browser:

import open from 'open';
await open('https://yourwebsite.com', {app: {name: 'firefox'}});

Opening an app with specific arguments:

import {openApp} from 'open';
await openApp('xcode', {arguments: ['-MyArgument']});

Where are the open docs?

The official documentation for the "open" package can be found within the package's readme file on its GitHub repository. This extensive document provides detailed explanations and examples on various usage scenarios, function parameters, and platform-specific considerations. It guides users on how to leverage the package to open different forms of resources across multiple platforms. For specific API information, the documentation is an invaluable resource. You can access it on the following GitHub page: sindresorhus/open on GitHub.