How to create a named pipe in node.js? - node.js

Question

How to create a named pipe in node.js?
P.S.:
For now I'm creating a named pipe as follows. But I think this is not best way
var mkfifoProcess = spawn('mkfifo', [fifoFilePath]);
mkfifoProcess.on('exit', function (code) {
if (code == 0) {
console.log('fifo created: ' + fifoFilePath);
} else {
console.log('fail to create fifo with code: ' + code);
}
});

Answer 1

Working with named pipes on Windows
Node v0.12.4
var net = require('net');
var PIPE_NAME = "mypipe";
var PIPE_PATH = "\\\\.\\pipe\\" + PIPE_NAME;
var L = console.log;
var server = net.createServer(function(stream) {
L('Server: on connection')
stream.on('data', function(c) {
L('Server: on data:', c.toString());
});
stream.on('end', function() {
L('Server: on end')
server.close();
});
stream.write('Take it easy!');
});
server.on('close',function(){
L('Server: on close');
})
server.listen(PIPE_PATH,function(){
L('Server: on listening');
})
// == Client part == //
var client = net.connect(PIPE_PATH, function() {
L('Client: on connection');
})
client.on('data', function(data) {
L('Client: on data:', data.toString());
client.end('Thanks!');
});
client.on('end', function() {
L('Client: on end');
})
Output:
Server: on listening
Client: on connection
Server: on connection
Client: on data: Take it easy!
Server: on data: Thanks!
Client: on end
Server: on end
Server: on close
Note about pipe names:
C/C++ / Nodejs: \\.\pipe\PIPENAME CreateNamedPipe
.Net / Powershell: \\.\PIPENAME NamedPipeClientStream / NamedPipeServerStream
Both will use file handle: \Device\NamedPipe\PIPENAME

Answer 2

Looks like name pipes aren't and won't be supported in Node core - from Ben Noordhuis 10/11/11:
Windows has a concept of named pipes but since you mention mkfifo I
assume you mean UNIX FIFOs.
We don't support them and probably never will (FIFOs in non-blocking
mode have the potential to deadlock the event loop) but you can use
UNIX sockets if you need similar functionality.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/nodejs/9TvDwCWaB5c/udQPigFvmgAJ
Named pipes and sockets are very similar however, the net module implements local sockets by specifying a path as opposed to a host and port:
http://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_server_listen_path_callback
http://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_net_connect_path_connectlistener
Example:
var net = require('net');
var server = net.createServer(function(stream) {
stream.on('data', function(c) {
console.log('data:', c.toString());
});
stream.on('end', function() {
server.close();
});
});
server.listen('/tmp/test.sock');
var stream = net.connect('/tmp/test.sock');
stream.write('hello');
stream.end();

Answer 3

Maybe use fs.watchFile instead of named pipe ? See documentation