express-fileupload

What is express-fileupload?

The express-fileupload npm package is a middleware for handling file uploads in Express applications. It simplifies the process of uploading files to a server by providing an easy-to-use interface and various configuration options.

What are express-fileupload's main functionalities?

Basic File Upload

This feature allows for basic file uploads. The code sets up an Express server with the express-fileupload middleware, and defines a POST route to handle file uploads. Uploaded files are moved to a specified directory on the server.

const express = require('express');
const fileUpload = require('express-fileupload');
const app = express();

app.use(fileUpload());

app.post('/upload', (req, res) => {
  if (!req.files || Object.keys(req.files).length === 0) {
    return res.status(400).send('No files were uploaded.');
  }

  let sampleFile = req.files.sampleFile;

  sampleFile.mv('/somewhere/on/your/server/filename.jpg', function(err) {
    if (err)
      return res.status(500).send(err);

    res.send('File uploaded!');
  });
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on http://localhost:3000');
});

File Size Limit

This feature allows setting a file size limit for uploads. The code configures the express-fileupload middleware to limit the file size to 50MB.

const express = require('express');
const fileUpload = require('express-fileupload');
const app = express();

app.use(fileUpload({
  limits: { fileSize: 50 * 1024 * 1024 }, // 50MB
}));

app.post('/upload', (req, res) => {
  if (!req.files || Object.keys(req.files).length === 0) {
    return res.status(400).send('No files were uploaded.');
  }

  let sampleFile = req.files.sampleFile;

  sampleFile.mv('/somewhere/on/your/server/filename.jpg', function(err) {
    if (err)
      return res.status(500).send(err);

    res.send('File uploaded!');
  });
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on http://localhost:3000');
});

Using Temp Files

This feature allows the use of temporary files during the upload process. The code configures the express-fileupload middleware to use temporary files and specifies a directory for these temp files.

const express = require('express');
const fileUpload = require('express-fileupload');
const app = express();

app.use(fileUpload({
  useTempFiles: true,
  tempFileDir: '/tmp/'
}));

app.post('/upload', (req, res) => {
  if (!req.files || Object.keys(req.files).length === 0) {
    return res.status(400).send('No files were uploaded.');
  }

  let sampleFile = req.files.sampleFile;

  sampleFile.mv('/somewhere/on/your/server/filename.jpg', function(err) {
    if (err)
      return res.status(500).send(err);

    res.send('File uploaded!');
  });
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on http://localhost:3000');
});

Other packages similar to express-fileupload

multer

Multer is a Node.js middleware for handling multipart/form-data, which is primarily used for uploading files. It is highly configurable and allows for fine-grained control over file storage and handling. Compared to express-fileupload, Multer offers more flexibility and control over file handling, but it may require more setup and configuration.

formidable

Formidable is a Node.js module for parsing form data, especially file uploads. It is a low-level library that provides a lot of control over file uploads and form parsing. Compared to express-fileupload, Formidable is more complex and offers more detailed control over the file upload process, but it may be more difficult to use for simple use cases.

busboy

Busboy is a Node.js module for parsing incoming HTML form data. It is a low-level library that provides a stream-based interface for handling file uploads. Compared to express-fileupload, Busboy offers more control and efficiency for handling large file uploads, but it requires more setup and understanding of streams in Node.js.

README

express-fileupload

Simple express file upload middleware that wraps around connect-busboy.

Install

npm install express-fileupload

Example

JavaScript

var express = require('express');
var fileUpload = require('express-fileupload');
var app = express();

// default options
app.use(fileUpload());

app.post('/upload', function(req, res) {
	var sampleFile;

	if (!req.files) {
		res.send('No files were uploaded.');
		return;
	}

	sampleFile = req.files.sampleFile;
	sampleFile.mv('/somewhere/on/your/server', function(err) {
		if (err) {
			res.status(500).send(err);
		}
		else {
			res.send('File uploaded!');
		}
	});
});

Form

<html>
	<body>
		<form ref='uploadForm' 
			id='uploadForm' 
			action='http://localhost:8000/upload' 
			method='post' 
			encType="multipart/form-data">
				<input type="file" name="sampleFile" />
				<input type='submit' value='Upload!' />
		</form>		
	</body>
</html>

Thanks & Credit

• Brian White for his stellar work on the Busboy Package and the connect-busboy Package