Download a file from NodeJS Server using Express

Question

How can I download a file that is in my server to my machine accessing a page in a nodeJS server   I m using the ExpressJS and I ve been trying this   app get   download   function req  res      var file   fs readFileSync   dirname     upload-folder dramaticpenguin MOV    binary       res setHeader  Content-Length   file length     res write file   binary      res end          But I can t get the file name and the file type   or extension    Can anyone help me with that

User · Accepted Answer

Update

Express has a helper for this to make life easier.

app.get('/download', function(req, res){
  const file = `${__dirname}/upload-folder/dramaticpenguin.MOV`;
  res.download(file); // Set disposition and send it.
});

Old Answer

As far as your browser is concerned, the file's name is just 'download', so you need to give it more info by using another HTTP header.

res.setHeader('Content-disposition', 'attachment; filename=dramaticpenguin.MOV');

You may also want to send a mime-type such as this:

res.setHeader('Content-type', 'video/quicktime');

If you want something more in-depth, here ya go.

var path = require('path');
var mime = require('mime');
var fs = require('fs');

app.get('/download', function(req, res){

  var file = __dirname + '/upload-folder/dramaticpenguin.MOV';

  var filename = path.basename(file);
  var mimetype = mime.lookup(file);

  res.setHeader('Content-disposition', 'attachment; filename=' + filename);
  res.setHeader('Content-type', mimetype);

  var filestream = fs.createReadStream(file);
  filestream.pipe(res);
});

You can set the header value to whatever you like. In this case, I am using a mime-type library - node-mime, to check what the mime-type of the file is.

Another important thing to note here is that I have changed your code to use a readStream. This is a much better way to do things because using any method with 'Sync' in the name is frowned upon because node is meant to be asynchronous.

User · Answer

In Express 4 x  there is an attachment   method to Response   res attachment       Content-Disposition  attachment  res attachment  path to logo png       Content-Disposition  attachment  filename  logo png     Content-Type  image png

User · Answer

There are several ways to do it This is the better way res download   report-12345 pdf    or in your case this might be app get   download   function req  res     const file        dirname  upload-folder dramaticpenguin MOV     res download file      Set disposition and send it       Know More

User · Answer

For static files like pdfs  Word docs  etc  just use Express s static function in your config      Express config var app   express   configure function          this use   public   express static  public         lt -- This right here       And then just put all your files inside that  public  folder  for example    public docs my word doc docx   And then a regular old link will allow the user to download it    lt a href  public docs my word doc docx  gt My Word Doc lt  a gt

User · Answer

use strict    var express   require  express    var fs   require  fs    var compress   require  compression    var bodyParser   require  body-parser     var app   express    app set  port   9999   app use bodyParser json   limit   1mb       app use compress      app use function  req  res  next        req setTimeout 3600000      res header  Access-Control-Allow-Origin             res header  Access-Control-Allow-Headers    Origin  X-Requested-With  Content-Type  Accept     Object keys req headers  join          if  req method      OPTIONS             res write                res end          else next         function readApp req res      var file   req originalUrl      read-android     Android apk     Ios ipa         filePath     home sony Documents docs      fs exists filePath  function exists         if  exists                 res writeHead 200               Content-Type    application octet-stream              Content-Disposition     attachment  filename     file            fs createReadStream filePath   file  pipe res           else           res writeHead 400    Content-Type    text plain             res end  ERROR File does NOT Exists ipa                         app get   read-android   function req  res        var u     originalUrl  req originalUrl       readApp u res        app get   read-ios   function req  res        var u     originalUrl  req originalUrl       readApp u res        var server   app listen app get  port    function         console log  Express server listening on port     server address   port

User · Answer

Here s how I do it    create file send file to client remove file   Code   let fs   require  fs    let path   require  path     let myController    req  res    gt      let filename    myFile ext     let absPath   path join   dirname    my files    filename     let relPath   path join    my files   filename      path relative to server root    fs writeFile relPath   File content    err    gt        if  err          console log err             res download absPath   err    gt          if  err            console log err                 fs unlink relPath   err    gt            if  err              console log err                     console log  FILE      filename      REMOVED

User · Answer

Use res download    It transfers the file at path as an    attachment     For instance   var express   require  express    var router   express Router             router get    id download   function  req  res  next        var filePath     my file path          Or format the path using the  id  rest param     var fileName    report pdf      The default name the browser will use      res download filePath  fileName              Read more about res download

[javascript] Download a file from NodeJS Server using Express

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Old Answer

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