__dirname is not defined

[mrddo-com]

I wrote a simple program:

console.log('Hello world');
console.log(__dirname);

Error:

Hello world
file:///C:/prj/akb48teamsh/html/t.js:2
console.log(__dirname);
            ^

ReferenceError: __dirname is not defined
    at file:///C:/prj/akb48teamsh/html/t.js:2:13
    at ModuleJob.run (internal/modules/esm/module_job.js:140:23)
    at async Loader.import (internal/modules/esm/loader.js:165:24)
    at async Object.loadESM (internal/process/esm_loader.js:68:5)

The following version got error:
Node latest v14.7.0
Node LTS v12.8.2
Node LTS v12.8.3

But Node version v10.15.3 works fine.
Please help.

[lundibundi]

As we can see from the stacktrace it looks like you are loading the file as a ECMAScript module (do you have "type": "module" in package.json?) which doesn't have __dirname or __filename, you can emulate those as explained in this documentation https://nodejs.org/api/esm.html#esm_no_require_exports_module_exports_filename_dirname.

[PoojaDurgad]

@mrddo-com - is this issue resolved? if yes can you close the issue please?

[mrddo-com]

The issue seem to be fix in v14.13.0

[dcjayasuriya2020]

this way it works:

import path from 'path';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
const __dirname = path.dirname(__filename);

1st get the __filename and then __dirname
both these CommonJs variables are not in ES modules, as per Node.org
we have to replicate with import.meta.url

Source:https://nodejs.org/api/esm.html#esm_no_require_exports_module_exports_filename_dirname

[corydorning]

The issue seem to be fix in v14.13.0

I'm using node v14.15.4 and this issue persists. The workaround from @lundibundi and @dcjayasuriya2020 does work though.

[blachawk]

I'm working off of node.js 14.15, and making use of import.meta.url as mentioned here by the node.js team.

• I have my main app named as app.mjs within my root directory.
• Within my package.json file I defined my start script as "start": "node app.mjs"
• I then have the following configured in my app.mjs file...

import express from 'express';
import path from 'path';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';

const app = express();

//we need to change up how __dirname is used for ES6 purposes
const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
//now please load my static html and css files for my express app, from my /dist directory
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname ,'dist')));

//works...

perhaps a little more than the question needed, but shows the process.

• I didn't have to add type model to my package.json file
• I didn't have to install any babel files
• I didn't have to depend on any other npm packages, other than nodemon for server reloading purposes.

[Mustafa-Agha]

I think we can create a global.__dirname = process.cwd();
This will get the directory where the process.cwd() is invoked

[addaleax]

@dcjayasuriya2020’s answer is the right one. process.cwd() will not give you the right directory under most circumstances.

[p3k]

As we can see from the stacktrace it looks like you are loading the file as a ECMAScript module (do you have "type": "module" in package.json?) which doesn't have __dirname or __filename, you can emulate those as explained in this documentation https://nodejs.org/api/esm.html#esm_no_require_exports_module_exports_filename_dirname.

the url is now leading to the latest docs where the corresponding section has been removed. this is the url i found:

https://nodejs.org/docs/latest-v12.x/api/esm.html#esm_no_require_exports_module_exports_filename_dirname

[tchetwin]

The docs have updated slightly, the new location is https://nodejs.org/api/esm.html#esm_no_filename_or_dirname

[zlogg]

Uncaught ReferenceError: __dirname is not defined

[jhunterkohler]

@sunmar25 The __dirname and __filename globals are not defined in esm modules. To get the path do one of the following:

Method 1: URL (global)

function dirname(meta) {
    return new URL("", meta.url).pathname;
}

// call with import.meta
const __dirname = dirname(import.meta);

Method 2: fileURLToPath (requires an import)

import { fileURLToPath } from "url"; // the node package 'url'

function dirname(meta) {
    return fileURLToPath(meta.url);
}

// call with import.meta
const __dirname = dirname(import.meta);

Do not use process.cwd(). This fetches the current working directory, which will be the call location of the project, and thus inaccurate for other files. You have to pass import.meta to a function because import.meta varies values over files.

Use Globally

If you want this globally, add it to the Node.js global object like such:

Object.defineProperty(global, "dirname", dirname) // where dirname is one of the two functions above

[fnpen]

You can use it in head of entry:

import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';

Object.defineProperty(global, '__dirname', {
	__proto__: null,
	get: () => fileURLToPath(import.meta.url),
});

[addaleax]

Method 1: URL (global)

Do not do this. new URL(...).pathname may contain percent-encoded characters, which do not match the actual file path in that case.

You can use it in head of entry:

Do not do this. The point of __dirname is that it has different values in different scripts. Defining it on the global object has the exact opposite effect.

I’ll lock this thread – @dcjayasuriya2020’s answer is the right one, for everybody who comes looking: #2907 (comment). If you have another question, open a new ticket.