CLI Usage

Zx provides a CLI for running scripts. It is installed with the package and can be used as zx executable.

zx script.mjs

No extensions

If script does not have a file extension (like .git/hooks/pre-commit), zx assumes that it is an ESM module.

zx docs/markdown.md

Remote scripts

If the argument to the zx executable starts with https://, the file will be downloaded and executed.

zx https://medv.io/game-of-life.js

Scripts from stdin

The zx supports executing scripts from stdin.

zx << 'EOF'
await $`pwd`
EOF

--eval

Evaluate the following argument as a script.

cat package.json | zx --eval 'const v = JSON.parse(await stdin()).version; echo(v)'

--install

// script.mjs:
import sh from 'tinysh'

sh.say('Hello, world!')

Add --install flag to the zx command to install missing dependencies automatically.

zx --install script.mjs

You can also specify needed version by adding comment with @ after the import.

import sh from 'tinysh' // @^1

--quiet

Suppress any outputs.

--verbose

Enable verbose mode.

--shell

Specify a custom shell binary.

zx --shell=/bin/bash script.mjs

--prefix & --postfix

Attach a command to the beginning or the end of every command.

zx --prefix='echo foo;' --postfix='; echo bar' script.mjs

--cwd

Set the current working directory.

zx --cwd=/foo/bar script.mjs

--version

Print the current version of zx.

--help

Print help.

__filename & __dirname

In ESM modules, Node.js does not provide __filename and __dirname globals. As such globals are really handy in scripts, zx provides these for use in .mjs files (when using the zx executable).

require()

In ESM modules, the require() function is not defined. The zx provides require() function, so it can be used with imports in .mjs files (when using zx executable).

const {version} = require('./package.json')