buffer-alloc

What is buffer-alloc?

The buffer-alloc package is a utility for allocating buffer memory in Node.js. It provides a way to create a buffer of a specified size filled with zeros or another specified value. This is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to ensure that newly allocated memory does not contain old or sensitive data. It mimics the Buffer.alloc method introduced in Node.js v5.10.0, offering a polyfill for older versions of Node.js or an alternative method for newer versions.

What are buffer-alloc's main functionalities?

Allocating a buffer filled with zeros

This feature allows for the creation of a new buffer of a specified size, with each byte initialized to zero. It's useful for when you need a clean buffer with no pre-existing data.

const bufferAlloc = require('buffer-alloc');
const buffer = bufferAlloc(10); // creates a 10-byte buffer filled with zeros

Allocating a buffer filled with a specific value

This feature enables the creation of a buffer where each byte is initialized to a specific value provided by the user. This can be useful for initializing a buffer to a non-zero state for specific use cases.

const bufferAlloc = require('buffer-alloc');
const buffer = bufferAlloc(10, 0x1); // creates a 10-byte buffer filled with 0x1

Other packages similar to buffer-alloc

buffer-from

Similar to buffer-alloc, buffer-from is designed to create a new Buffer instance from a variety of inputs (e.g., arrays, strings, or another buffer). While buffer-alloc focuses on allocating new memory, buffer-from provides more flexibility in creating buffers from existing data.

safe-buffer

The safe-buffer package offers a safer version of the Node.js Buffer API, addressing security and usability concerns. It includes methods similar to buffer-alloc for creating buffers but adds additional checks and features to prevent common issues with buffer management in Node.js.

README

Buffer Alloc

A ponyfill for Buffer.alloc.

Works as Node.js: v7.0.0
Works on Node.js: v0.10.0

Installation

npm install --save buffer-alloc

Usage

const alloc = require('buffer-alloc')

console.log(alloc(4))
//=> <Buffer 00 00 00 00>

console.log(alloc(6, 0x41))
//=> <Buffer 41 41 41 41 41 41>

console.log(alloc(10, 'linus', 'utf8'))
//=> <Buffer 6c 69 6e 75 73 6c 69 6e 75 73>

API

alloc(size[, fill[, encoding]])

• size <Integer> The desired length of the new Buffer
• fill <String> | <Buffer> | <Integer> A value to pre-fill the new Buffer with. Default: 0
• encoding <String> If fill is a string, this is its encoding. Default: 'utf8'

Allocates a new Buffer of size bytes. If fill is undefined, the Buffer will be zero-filled.

See also

• buffer-alloc-unsafe A ponyfill for Buffer.allocUnsafe
• buffer-fill A ponyfill for Buffer.fill
• buffer-from A ponyfill for Buffer.from