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# node-pty |
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[](https://dev.azure.com/vscode/node-pty/_build/latest?definitionId=11) |
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`forkpty(3)` bindings for node.js. This allows you to fork processes with pseudoterminal file descriptors. It returns a terminal object which allows reads and writes. |
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This is useful for: |
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- Writing a terminal emulator (eg. via [xterm.js](https://github.com/sourcelair/xterm.js)). |
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- Getting certain programs to *think* you're a terminal, such as when you need a program to send you control sequences. |
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`node-pty` supports Linux, macOS and Windows. Windows support is possible by utilizing the [Windows conpty API](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2018/08/02/windows-command-line-introducing-the-windows-pseudo-console-conpty/) on Windows 1809+ and the [winpty](https://github.com/rprichard/winpty) library in older version. |
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## Real-world Uses |
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`node-pty` powers many different terminal emulators, including: |
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- [Microsoft Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com) |
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- [Hyper](https://hyper.is/) |
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- [Upterm](https://github.com/railsware/upterm) |
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- [Script Runner](https://github.com/ioquatix/script-runner) for Atom. |
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- [Theia](https://github.com/theia-ide/theia) |
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- [FreeMAN](https://github.com/matthew-matvei/freeman) file manager |
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- [atom-xterm](https://atom.io/packages/atom-xterm) - Atom plugin for providing terminals inside your Atom workspace. |
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- [Termination](https://atom.io/packages/termination) - Another Atom plugin that provides terminals inside your Atom workspace. |
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- [electerm](https://github.com/electerm/electerm) Terminal/ssh/sftp client(linux, mac, win). |
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- [Extraterm](http://extraterm.org/) |
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- [Wetty](https://github.com/krishnasrinivas/wetty) Browser based Terminal over HTTP and HTTPS |
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Do you use node-pty in your application as well? Please open a [Pull Request](https://github.com/Tyriar/node-pty/pulls) to include it here. We would love to have it in our list. |
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## Example Usage |
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```js |
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var os = require('os'); |
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var pty = require('node-pty'); |
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var shell = os.platform() === 'win32' ? 'powershell.exe' : 'bash'; |
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var ptyProcess = pty.spawn(shell, [], { |
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name: 'xterm-color', |
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cols: 80, |
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rows: 30, |
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cwd: process.env.HOME, |
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env: process.env |
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}); |
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ptyProcess.on('data', function(data) { |
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process.stdout.write(data); |
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}); |
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ptyProcess.write('ls\r'); |
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ptyProcess.resize(100, 40); |
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ptyProcess.write('ls\r'); |
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``` |
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## Building |
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```bash |
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# Install dependencies and build C++ |
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npm install |
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# Compile TypeScript -> JavaScript |
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npm run tsc |
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``` |
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## Dependencies |
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### Linux/Ubuntu |
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``` |
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sudo apt install -y make python build-essential |
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``` |
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The following are also needed: |
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- Node.JS 10+ |
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### Windows |
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`npm install` requires some tools to be present in the system like Python and C++ compiler. Windows users can easily install them by running the following command in PowerShell as administrator. For more information see https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows-build-tools: |
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```sh |
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npm install --global --production windows-build-tools |
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``` |
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The following are also needed: |
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- [Windows SDK](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/windows-10-sdk) - only the "Desktop C++ Apps" components are needed to be installed |
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- Node.JS 10+ |
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## Debugging |
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[The wiki](https://github.com/Microsoft/node-pty/wiki/Debugging) contains instructions for debugging node-pty. |
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## Security |
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All processes launched from node-pty will launch at the same permission level of the parent process. Take care particularly when using node-pty inside a server that's accessible on the internet. We recommend launching the pty inside a container to protect your host machine. |
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## Thread Safety |
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Note that node-pty is not thread safe so running it across multiple worker threads in node.js could cause issues. |
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## Flow Control |
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Automatic flow control can be enabled by either providing `handleFlowControl = true` in the constructor options or setting it later on: |
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```js |
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const PAUSE = '\x13'; // XOFF |
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const RESUME = '\x11'; // XON |
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const ptyProcess = pty.spawn(shell, [], {handleFlowControl: true}); |
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// flow control in action |
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ptyProcess.write(PAUSE); // pty will block and pause the slave program |
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... |
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ptyProcess.write(RESUME); // pty will enter flow mode and resume the slave program |
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// temporarily disable/re-enable flow control |
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ptyProcess.handleFlowControl = false; |
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... |
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ptyProcess.handleFlowControl = true; |
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``` |
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By default `PAUSE` and `RESUME` are XON/XOFF control codes (as shown above). To avoid conflicts in environments that use these control codes for different purposes the messages can be customized as `flowControlPause: string` and `flowControlResume: string` in the constructor options. `PAUSE` and `RESUME` are not passed to the underlying pseudoterminal if flow control is enabled. |
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## Troubleshooting |
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### Powershell gives error 8009001d |
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> Internal Windows PowerShell error. Loading managed Windows PowerShell failed with error 8009001d. |
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This happens when PowerShell is launched with no `SystemRoot` environment variable present. |
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### ConnectNamedPipe failed: Windows error 232 |
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This error can occur due to anti-virus software intercepting winpty from creating a pty. To workaround this you can exclude this file from your anti-virus scanning `node-pty\build\Release\winpty-agent.exe` |
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## pty.js |
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This project is forked from [chjj/pty.js](https://github.com/chjj/pty.js) with the primary goals being to provide better support for later Node.JS versions and Windows. |
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## License |
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Copyright (c) 2012-2015, Christopher Jeffrey (MIT License).<br> |
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Copyright (c) 2016, Daniel Imms (MIT License).<br> |
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Copyright (c) 2018, Microsoft Corporation (MIT License). |
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