8.1.0

This new release is a big deal. It brings significant improvements in reliability and compatibility.

• Switched to hybrid-scheme package: both ESM and CJS entry points are provided.
• Extended Node.js supported versions range: from 12.17.0 to the latest 22.x.x.
• Added compatibility with Deno 1.x.
• zx libdefs are now compatible with TS 4.0+.

New features

Added usePwsh() helper to switch to PowerShell v7+ #790

import {usePwsh, useBash} from 'zx'

usePwsh()
$.shell // 'pwsh'

useBash()
$.shell // 'bash'

timeout is now configurable $ opts #796

import {$} from 'zx'

await $({ timeout: 100 })`sleep 999`

$.timeout = 1000            // Sets default timeout for all commands
$.timeoutSignal = 'SIGKILL' // Sets signal to send on timeout

await $`sleep 999`

Added --cwd option for CLI #804

zx --cwd=/some/path script.js

Introduced tmpdir and tmpfile helpers #803

import {tmpdir, tmpfile} from 'zx'

t1 = tmpdir()          // /os/based/tmp/zx-1ra1iofojgg/
t2 = tmpdir('foo')     // /os/based/tmp/zx-1ra1iofojgg/foo/

f1 = tmpfile()         // /os/based/tmp/zx-1ra1iofojgg
f2 = tmpfile('f.txt')  // /os/based/tmp/zx-1ra1iofojgg/foo.txt
f3 = tmpfile('f.txt', 'string or buffer')

• Support CRLF for markdown script #788
• Added help digest for man #806
• Added compatibility with Deno 1.x. → zx seems to be working with Deno 1.x.

8.0.2

In this release:

• Added configurable detached option (#782)
• Fixed pkg typings entries for tsd tests (#780)

8.0.1

In this release:

• Added feature: add stdio option (#772)
• Added feature: support signal opt (#769)
• Fixed: additional process.kill fallback for bun (#770)

8.0.0

We are thrilled to announce the release of zx v8.0.0! 🎉

With this release, we have introduced a lot of new features, improvements, and bug fixes.
We have also made some breaking changes, so please read the following release notes carefully.

🚀 New Shiny Features

Squashed deps: we use esbuild with custom plugins to forge js bundles and dts-bundle-generator for typings
^{2acb0f, #722}

More safety, more stability and significantly reduced installation time. Zx now is ~20x smaller.

npx zx@8.0.0
npm install zx@8.0.0

Options presets are here. To implement this, we have also completely refactored the zx core, and now it's available as a separate package – zurk
^{aeec7a, #733, #600}

const $$ = $({quiet: true})
await $$`echo foo`

$({nothrow: true})`exit 1`

We have introduced $.sync() API
^{1f8c8b, #738, #681, 1d8aa9, #739}

import {$} from 'zx'

const { output } = $.sync`echo foo` // foo

You can also override the internal API to implement pools, test mocking, etc.

$.spawnSync = () => {} // defaults to `child_process.spawnSync`

The input option is now available to pass data to the command.
^{b38972, #736}

const p1 = $({ input: 'foo' })`cat`
const p2 = $({ input: Readable.from('bar') })`cat`
const p3 = $({ input: Buffer.from('baz') })`cat`
const p4 = $({ input: p3 })`cat`
const p5 = $({ input: await p3 })`cat`

AbortController has been introduced to abort the command execution. It's available via the ac option.
^{fa4a7b, #734, #527}

const ac = new AbortController()
const p = $({ ac })`sleep 9999`

setTimeout(() => ac.abort(), 100)

If not specified, the default instance will be used. Abortion trigger is also available via PromiseResponse:

const p = $`sleep 9999`
setTimeout(() => p.abort(), 100)

kill method is exposed now. To terminate any (not only zx starter) process:

import { kill } from 'zx'

await kill(123)
await kill(123, 'SIGKILL')

Btw, we have replaced ps-tree with @webpod/ps & @webpod/ingrid, and exposed ps util:

import {ps} from 'zx'

const children = await ps.tree(123)
/**
 [
 {pid: 124, ppid: 123},
 {pid: 125, ppid: 123}
 ]
 */
const children2 = await ps.tree({pid: 123, recursive: true})
/**
 [
 {pid: 124, ppid: 123},
 {pid: 125, ppid: 123},

 {pid: 126, ppid: 124},
 {pid: 127, ppid: 124},
 {pid: 128, ppid: 124},

 {pid: 129, ppid: 125},
 {pid: 130, ppid: 125},
 ]
 */

Introduced $.postfix option. It's like a $.prefix, but for the end of the command.
^{fb9554, #756, #536}

import {$} from 'zx'

$.postfix = '; exit $LastExitCode' // for PowerShell compatibility

minimist API exposed
^#661

import { minimist } from 'zx'

const argv = minimist(process.argv.slice(2), {})

Fixed npm package name pattern on --install mode
^{956dcc, #659, #660, #663}

import '@qux/pkg'       // valid
import '@qux/pkg/entry' // was invalid before and valid now

⚠️ Breaking changes

We've tried our best to avoid them, but it was necessary.

1. $.verbose is set to false by default, but errors are still printed to stderr. Set $.quiet = true to suppress all output.
   ^{cafb90, #745, #569}

   $.verbose = true // everything works like in v7
   
   $.quiet = true // to completely turn off logging

2. ssh API was dropped. Install webpod package instead.
   ^{8925a1, #750}

   // import {ssh} from 'zx' ↓
   import {ssh} from 'webpod'
   
   const remote = ssh('user@host')
   await remote`echo foo`

3. zx is not looking for powershell anymore, on Windows by default. If you still need it, use the usePowerShell helper:
   ^{24dcf3, #757}

   import { usePowerShell, useBash } from 'zx'
   
   usePowerShell() // to enable powershell
   useBash()       // switch to bash, the default

4. Process cwd synchronization between $ invocations is disabled by default. This functionality is provided via an async hook and can now be controlled directly.
   ^{d79a63, #765}

   import { syncProcessCwd } from 'zx'
   
   syncProcessCwd() // restores legacy v7 behavior

🧰 Other Improvements

• added dev (snapshot publish) releases 0c97b9 #723
• tsconfig: dropped lib DOM fe0356 #735, #619, #722)
• implemented ProcessPromise.valueOf() to simplify value comparisons 0640b8, #737, #690
• enhanced --install API: use depkeek for deps extraction 1a03a6
• removed --experimental toggle, all APIs are available by default 8a7a8f, #751
• added minute support in duration b02fd5, #703, #704
• enhanced stack extraction to support bun 2026d4, #752
• fixed spinner issue on weird TTY 1124e3, #755, #607
• migrated tests to native node:test cd1835

7.2.3

What's Changed

• docs: fix example for within function by @mdrobny in #625
• enhance: cd to accept ProcessOutput by @quexxon in #642

New Contributors

• @mdrobny made their first contribution in #625
• @quexxon made their first contribution in #642

Full Changelog: 7.2.2...7.2.3

7.2.2

What's Changed

• add . to nameRegex by @siosio34 in #604
• Update deps by @antonmedv in #615

New Contributors

• @siosio34 made their first contribution in #604

Full Changelog: 7.2.1...7.2.2

7.2.1

What's Changed

• fix: zx/globals missing type by @fz6m in #591

New Contributors

• @fz6m made their first contribution in #591

Full Changelog: 7.2.0...7.2.1

7.2.0

🐚 zx v7.2.0 release! 🎉

A tool for writing better scripts

In this release:

• Helpers retry() & spinner() now available in zx without the experimental flag.
• Added support for ~~~ blocks in markdown scripts.
• Updated npm dependencies.
• Added support for ssh commands via webpod.

PS: Plan for the next v8 release.

7.1.1

• Fixed default shell on Windows: if bash is installed, use bash by default.

7.1.0

Autoinstall

This release introduces a new flag --install which will parse and install all required or imported packages automatically.

import sh from 'tinysh'
sh.say('Hello, world!')

And running zx --install script.mjs will trigger installation of tinysh package! It even possible to specify a needed version in comment with @ symbol:

import sh from 'tinysh' // @^1.0.0

PowerShell

Another big change is for Windows. Now, the default shell on Windows is powershell.exe.

This should fix a lot of issues with "dollar" signs.

Fixes

• Minimist now correctly parses argv when using zx cli.