Node.js OS

The os module in Node.js provides operating system-related utility methods and properties. It helps retrieve system information such as CPU details, memory usage, and network interfaces, enabling you to write system-aware applications.

It provides functions to interact with the operating system. It provides the hostname of the operating system and returns the amount of free system memory in bytes. 

• os.arch(): Returns the CPU architecture of the operating system (e.g., 'x64', 'arm').
• os.cpus(): Provides an array of objects describing each CPU/core installed.
• os.freemem(): Returns the amount of free system memory in bytes.
• os.homedir(): Returns the path to the current user’s home directory.
• os.hostname(): Returns the hostname of the operating system.
• os.networkInterfaces(): Returns a list of network interfaces and their details.
• os.platform(): Returns the operating system platform (e.g., 'linux', 'darwin').
• os.release(): Returns the operating system release.
• os.totalmem(): Returns the total amount of system memory in bytes.
• os.uptime(): Returns the system uptime in seconds.

Explore this Node.js OS Module Complete Reference to discover in-depth explanations, advanced usage examples, and expert tips for leveraging its features to optimize your Node.js applications and understand system-level details.

Features

• System Information: Provides insights into the system’s hardware and software environment.
• Resource Monitoring: Helps in monitoring memory usage and system performance.
• Platform Detection: Identifies the platform and version of the operating system.

Example 1: This example uses Node.js os module to fetch and display system details and memory info.

// Include os module and create its object const os = require('os'); // return the cpu architecture console.log("CPU architecture: " + os.arch()); // It returns the amount of free system memory in bytes console.log("Free memory: " + os.freemem()); // It return total amount of system memory in bytes console.log("Total memory: " + os.totalmem()); // It returns the list of network interfaces console.log('List of network Interfaces: ' + os.networkInterfaces()); // It returns the operating systems default directory for temp files. console.log('OS default directory for temp files : ' + os.tmpdir()); 

Output:

Example 2: This code snippet uses Node.js os module to display the system's endianness, hostname, OS name, platform, and release information.

// Include os module and create its object const os = require('os'); // return the endianness of system console.log("Endianness of system: " + os.endianness()); // It returns hostname of system console.log("Hostname: " + os.hostname()); // It return operating system name console.log("Operating system name: " + os.type()); // It returns the platform of os console.log('operating system platform: ' + os.platform()); // It returns the operating systems release. console.log('OS release : ' + os.release()); 

Output:

Benefits

• Enhanced Functionality: Facilitates writing system-specific code.
• Performance: Allows monitoring and optimizing system resource usage.
• Cross-Platform Support: Ensures compatibility across different operating systems.

Summary

The os module in Node.js is a powerful tool for accessing and managing system information. It enables developers to create applications that are aware of the operating system’s characteristics, improving functionality and performance.