Console

[Stable: 2 - Stable]

Stable: 2 Stability: 2 - Stable

Source Code: lib/console.js

The node:console module provides a simple debugging console that is similar to the JavaScript console mechanism provided by web browsers.

The module exports two specific components:

• A Console class with methods such as console.log(), console.error(), and console.warn() that can be used to write to any Node.js stream.
• A global console instance configured to write to process.stdout and process.stderr. The global console can be used without calling require('node:console').

Warning: The global console object's methods are neither consistently synchronous like the browser APIs they resemble, nor are they consistently asynchronous like all other Node.js streams. Programs that desire to depend on the synchronous / asynchronous behavior of the console functions should first figure out the nature of console's backing stream. This is because the stream is dependent on the underlying platform and standard stream configuration of the current process. See the note on process I/O for more information.

Example using the global console:

console.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to stdout
console.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints error message and stack trace to stderr:
//   Error: Whoops, something bad happened
//     at [eval]:5:15
//     at Script.runInThisContext (node:vm:132:18)
//     at Object.runInThisContext (node:vm:309:38)
//     at node:internal/process/execution:77:19
//     at [eval]-wrapper:6:22
//     at evalScript (node:internal/process/execution:76:60)
//     at node:internal/main/eval_string:23:3

const name = 'Will Robinson';
console.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to stderr

Example using the Console class:

const out = getStreamSomehow();
const err = getStreamSomehow();
const myConsole = new console.Console(out, err);

myConsole.log('hello world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.log('hello %s', 'world');
// Prints: hello world, to out
myConsole.error(new Error('Whoops, something bad happened'));
// Prints: [Error: Whoops, something bad happened], to err

const name = 'Will Robinson';
myConsole.warn(`Danger ${name}! Danger!`);
// Prints: Danger Will Robinson! Danger!, to err

Class: Console

[History]

Version	Changes
v8.0.0	Errors that occur while writing to the underlying streams will now be ignored by default.

The Console class can be used to create a simple logger with configurable output streams and can be accessed using either require('node:console').Console or console.Console (or their destructured counterparts):

ESM

import { Console } from 'node:console';

CJS

const { Console } = require('node:console');

const { Console } = console;

new Console(stdout[, stderr][, ignoreErrors])

new Console(options)

[History]

Version	Changes
v14.2.0, v12.17.0	The groupIndentation option was introduced.
v11.7.0	The inspectOptions option is introduced.
v10.0.0	The Console constructor now supports an options argument, and the colorMode option was introduced.
v8.0.0	The ignoreErrors option was introduced.

• options <Object>
  • stdout <stream.Writable>
  • stderr <stream.Writable>
  • ignoreErrors <boolean> Ignore errors when writing to the underlying streams. Default: true.
  • colorMode <boolean> | <string> Set color support for this Console instance. Setting to true enables coloring while inspecting values. Setting to false disables coloring while inspecting values. Setting to 'auto' makes color support depend on the value of the isTTY property and the value returned by getColorDepth() on the respective stream. This option can not be used, if inspectOptions.colors is set as well. Default: 'auto'.
  • inspectOptions <Object> Specifies options that are passed along to util.inspect().
  • groupIndentation <number> Set group indentation. Default: 2.

Creates a new Console with one or two writable stream instances. stdout is a writable stream to print log or info output. stderr is used for warning or error output. If stderr is not provided, stdout is used for stderr.

ESM

import { createWriteStream } from 'node:fs';
import { Console } from 'node:console';
// Alternatively
// const { Console } = console;

const output = createWriteStream('./stdout.log');
const errorOutput = createWriteStream('./stderr.log');
// Custom simple logger
const logger = new Console({ stdout: output, stderr: errorOutput });
// use it like console
const count = 5;
logger.log('count: %d', count);
// In stdout.log: count 5

CJS

const fs = require('node:fs');
const { Console } = require('node:console');
// Alternatively
// const { Console } = console;

const output = fs.createWriteStream('./stdout.log');
const errorOutput = fs.createWriteStream('./stderr.log');
// Custom simple logger
const logger = new Console({ stdout: output, stderr: errorOutput });
// use it like console
const count = 5;
logger.log('count: %d', count);
// In stdout.log: count 5

The global console is a special Console whose output is sent to process.stdout and process.stderr. It is equivalent to calling:

new Console({ stdout: process.stdout, stderr: process.stderr });

console.assert(value[, ...message])

[History]

Version	Changes
v10.0.0	The implementation is now spec compliant and does not throw anymore.
v0.1.101	Added in: v0.1.101

• value <any> The value tested for being truthy.
• ...message <any> All arguments besides value are used as error message.

console.assert() writes a message if value is falsy or omitted. It only writes a message and does not otherwise affect execution. The output always starts with "Assertion failed". If provided, message is formatted using util.format().

If value is truthy, nothing happens.

console.assert(true, 'does nothing');

console.assert(false, 'Whoops %s work', 'didn\'t');
// Assertion failed: Whoops didn't work

console.assert();
// Assertion failed

console.clear()

Added in: v8.3.0

When stdout is a TTY, calling console.clear() will attempt to clear the TTY. When stdout is not a TTY, this method does nothing.

The specific operation of console.clear() can vary across operating systems and terminal types. For most Linux operating systems, console.clear() operates similarly to the clear shell command. On Windows, console.clear() will clear only the output in the current terminal viewport for the Node.js binary.

console.count([label])

Added in: v8.3.0

• label <string> The display label for the counter. Default: 'default'.

Maintains an internal counter specific to label and outputs to stdout the number of times console.count() has been called with the given label.

> console.count()
default: 1
undefined
> console.count('default')
default: 2
undefined
> console.count('abc')
abc: 1
undefined
> console.count('xyz')
xyz: 1
undefined
> console.count('abc')
abc: 2
undefined
> console.count()
default: 3
undefined
>

console.countReset([label])

Added in: v8.3.0

• label <string> The display label for the counter. Default: 'default'.

Resets the internal counter specific to label.

> console.count('abc');
abc: 1
undefined
> console.countReset('abc');
undefined
> console.count('abc');
abc: 1
undefined
>

console.debug(data[, ...args])

[History]

Version	Changes
v8.10.0	console.debug is now an alias for console.log.
v8.0.0	Added in: v8.0.0

• data <any>
• ...args <any>

The console.debug() function is an alias for console.log().

console.dir(obj[, options])

Added in: v0.1.101

• obj <any>
• options <Object>
  • showHidden <boolean> If true then the object's non-enumerable and symbol properties will be shown too. Default: false.
  • depth <number> Tells util.inspect() how many times to recurse while formatting the object. This is useful for inspecting large complicated objects. To make it recurse indefinitely, pass null. Default: 2.
  • colors <boolean> If true, then the output will be styled with ANSI color codes. Colors are customizable; see customizing util.inspect() colors. Default: false.

Uses util.inspect() on obj and prints the resulting string to stdout. This function bypasses any custom inspect() function defined on obj.

console.dirxml(...data)

[History]

Version	Changes
v9.3.0	console.dirxml now calls console.log for its arguments.
v8.0.0	Added in: v8.0.0

• ...data <any>

This method calls console.log() passing it the arguments received. This method does not produce any XML formatting.

console.error([data][, ...args])

Added in: v0.1.100

• data <any>
• ...args <any>

Prints to stderr with newline. Multiple arguments can be passed, with the first used as the primary message and all additional used as substitution values similar to printf(3) (the arguments are all passed to util.format()).

const code = 5;
console.error('error #%d', code);
// Prints: error #5, to stderr
console.error('error', code);
// Prints: error 5, to stderr

If formatting elements (e.g. %d) are not found in the first string then util.inspect() is called on each argument and the resulting string values are concatenated. See util.format() for more information.

console.group([...label])

Added in: v8.5.0

• ...label <any>

Increases indentation of subsequent lines by spaces for groupIndentation length.

If one or more labels are provided, those are printed first without the additional indentation.

console.groupCollapsed()

Added in: v8.5.0

An alias for console.group().

console.groupEnd()

Added in: v8.5.0

Decreases indentation of subsequent lines by spaces for groupIndentation length.

console.info([data][, ...args])

Added in: v0.1.100

• data <any>
• ...args <any>

The console.info() function is an alias for console.log().

console.log([data][, ...args])

Added in: v0.1.100

• data <any>
• ...args <any>

Prints to stdout with newline. Multiple arguments can be passed, with the first used as the primary message and all additional used as substitution values similar to printf(3) (the arguments are all passed to util.format()).

const count = 5;
console.log('count: %d', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout
console.log('count:', count);
// Prints: count: 5, to stdout

See util.format() for more information.

console.table(tabularData[, properties])

Added in: v10.0.0

• tabularData <any>
• properties <string[]> Alternate properties for constructing the table.

Try to construct a table with the columns of the properties of tabularData (or use properties) and rows of tabularData and log it. Falls back to just logging the argument if it can't be parsed as tabular.

// These can't be parsed as tabular data
console.table(Symbol());
// Symbol()

console.table(undefined);
// undefined

console.table([{ a: 1, b: 'Y' }, { a: 'Z', b: 2 }]);
// ┌─────────┬─────┬─────┐
// │ (index) │ a   │ b   │
// ├─────────┼─────┼─────┤
// │ 0       │ 1   │ 'Y' │
// │ 1       │ 'Z' │ 2   │
// └─────────┴─────┴─────┘

console.table([{ a: 1, b: 'Y' }, { a: 'Z', b: 2 }], ['a']);
// ┌─────────┬─────┐
// │ (index) │ a   │
// ├─────────┼─────┤
// │ 0       │ 1   │
// │ 1       │ 'Z' │
// └─────────┴─────┘

console.time([label])

Added in: v0.1.104

• label <string> Default: 'default'

Starts a timer that can be used to compute the duration of an operation. Timers are identified by a unique label. Use the same label when calling console.timeEnd() to stop the timer and output the elapsed time in suitable time units to stdout. For example, if the elapsed time is 3869ms, console.timeEnd() displays "3.869s".

console.timeEnd([label])

[History]

Version	Changes
v13.0.0	The elapsed time is displayed with a suitable time unit.
v6.0.0	This method no longer supports multiple calls that don't map to individual console.time() calls; see below for details.
v0.1.104	Added in: v0.1.104

• label <string> Default: 'default'

Stops a timer that was previously started by calling console.time() and prints the result to stdout:

console.time('bunch-of-stuff');
// Do a bunch of stuff.
console.timeEnd('bunch-of-stuff');
// Prints: bunch-of-stuff: 225.438ms

console.timeLog([label][, ...data])

Added in: v10.7.0

• label <string> Default: 'default'
• ...data <any>

For a timer that was previously started by calling console.time(), prints the elapsed time and other data arguments to stdout:

console.time('process');
const value = expensiveProcess1(); // Returns 42
console.timeLog('process', value);
// Prints "process: 365.227ms 42".
doExpensiveProcess2(value);
console.timeEnd('process');

console.trace([message][, ...args])

Added in: v0.1.104

• message <any>
• ...args <any>

Prints to stderr the string 'Trace: ', followed by the util.format() formatted message and stack trace to the current position in the code.

console.trace('Show me');
// Prints: (stack trace will vary based on where trace is called)
//  Trace: Show me
//    at repl:2:9
//    at REPLServer.defaultEval (repl.js:248:27)
//    at bound (domain.js:287:14)
//    at REPLServer.runBound [as eval] (domain.js:300:12)
//    at REPLServer.<anonymous> (repl.js:412:12)
//    at emitOne (events.js:82:20)
//    at REPLServer.emit (events.js:169:7)
//    at REPLServer.Interface._onLine (readline.js:210:10)
//    at REPLServer.Interface._line (readline.js:549:8)
//    at REPLServer.Interface._ttyWrite (readline.js:826:14)

console.warn([data][, ...args])

Added in: v0.1.100

• data <any>
• ...args <any>

The console.warn() function is an alias for console.error().

Inspector only methods

The following methods are exposed by the V8 engine in the general API but do not display anything unless used in conjunction with the inspector (--inspect flag).

console.profile([label])

Added in: v8.0.0

• label <string>

This method does not display anything unless used in the inspector. The console.profile() method starts a JavaScript CPU profile with an optional label until console.profileEnd() is called. The profile is then added to the Profile panel of the inspector.

console.profile('MyLabel');
// Some code
console.profileEnd('MyLabel');
// Adds the profile 'MyLabel' to the Profiles panel of the inspector.

console.profileEnd([label])

Added in: v8.0.0

• label <string>

This method does not display anything unless used in the inspector. Stops the current JavaScript CPU profiling session if one has been started and prints the report to the Profiles panel of the inspector. See console.profile() for an example.

If this method is called without a label, the most recently started profile is stopped.

console.timeStamp([label])

Added in: v8.0.0

• label <string>

This method does not display anything unless used in the inspector. The console.timeStamp() method adds an event with the label 'label' to the Timeline panel of the inspector.