How To Download A File With Node Js Without Using Third Party Libraries

Have you ever needed to download a file using Node.js but wanted to avoid the hassle of dealing with third-party libraries? Well, you're in luck because I'm here to show you how you can achieve this task using pure Node.js. In this guide, we'll walk through the steps to download a file from the web without relying on external dependencies.

To get started, we'll use Node.js's built-in modules - the `http` and `fs` modules. The `http` module allows us to make HTTP requests to fetch the file, while the `fs` module helps us save the downloaded file to our local filesystem. Let's dive into the process step by step.

First, we need to create a function that will handle the file download process. We can name this function `downloadFile`. Within this function, we'll use the `http.get` method to make a GET request to the URL from which we want to download the file. Here's a basic structure of the `downloadFile` function:

const http = require('http');
const fs = require('fs');

function downloadFile(url, destination) {
  http.get(url, response => {
    const fileStream = fs.createWriteStream(destination);

    response.pipe(fileStream);

    fileStream.on('finish', () => {
      fileStream.close();
      console.log('File downloaded successfully!');
    });
  });
}

// Call the downloadFile function with the URL of the file to download and the destination to save it locally
downloadFile('http://example.com/file.zip', 'downloaded/file.zip');

In the `downloadFile` function, we provide the URL of the file we want to download and the destination where we want to save the file locally. The `response.pipe(fileStream)` method pipes the response data to the file stream, which writes the data to the specified file. Upon completion, the 'finish' event is triggered, indicating that the file download is successful.

You can adjust the function as needed, adding error handling or additional functionality based on your requirements. Additionally, you can enhance the function by accepting callback functions or promises to handle the download completion or any errors that may occur during the process.

By leveraging the power of Node.js's core modules, you can streamline the process of downloading files without the overhead of third-party libraries. This approach provides more control and flexibility over the downloading process while keeping your codebase lean and efficient.

In conclusion, downloading files using Node.js without third-party libraries is not only feasible but also straightforward. By combining the `http` and `fs` modules effectively, you can easily fetch and save files from the web within your Node.js applications. Happy coding!