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path.resolve

Learn to resolve absolute paths with path.resolve.

What is path.resolve?

path.resolve turns a path into an absolute path. It resolves relative paths against the current working directory (process.cwd()); absolute paths are kept as is.

import path from 'path';
const abs = path.resolve('folder', 'file.txt');
// '/home/user/folder/file.txt'

Here the relative 'folder/file.txt' is joined with the current directory to form an absolute path. With no arguments it returns process.cwd(). Unlike path.join, the result is always absolute.

path.resolve examples

path.resolve evaluates segments from right to left. From the first absolute segment it takes that as the base; if there is no absolute segment it prepends the current directory.

path.resolve('/a', 'b');      // '/a/b'
path.resolve('a', '/b');      // '/b'
path.resolve();               // process.cwd()

In the first example /a is absolute so b is added under it. In the second, /b is absolute so 'a' is discarded. In the third, with no arguments, the current working directory is returned.

Practice Your turn: an absolute path with path.resolve

Start with import path from 'path'. Write const abs = path.resolve('/folder', 'sub'). Log it with console.log(abs).

Starter code

index.js
// Import the path module
// Build an absolute path with path.resolve, log with console.log

Sample solution

index.js
import path from 'path';
const abs = path.resolve('/folder', 'sub');
console.log(abs);

Expected output

/folder/sub

Questions and answers

Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.

1 Fill in the blank: path.resolve

Question 
import path from 'path';
const abs = path.____('folder', 'file.txt');
console.log(abs);
Answer 
import path from 'path';
const abs = path.resolve('folder', 'file.txt');
console.log(abs);

Explanation: path.resolve returns an absolute path.

2 What is the main difference between path.resolve and path.join?

  • resolve is slower
  • resolve only works on Windows
  • resolve returns a Promise
  • resolve always returns an absolute path Correct answer

Explanation: resolve turns the result into an absolute path.

3 path.resolve concepts

Term Meaning
resolve makes absolute
cwd current directory
absolute starts from root

All lessons in Beginner

1 Node.js basics

  1. What is Node.js?
  2. Your first program
  3. ES modules
  4. package.json
  5. CommonJS vs ESM
  6. Summary - Node.js basics

2 Variables

  1. let and const
  2. var and scope
  3. Type inference
  4. Destructuring
  5. Spread and rest
  6. Summary - Variables

3 Data types

  1. Primitive types
  2. Template literals
  3. Number and Math
  4. Symbol
  5. typeof
  6. Summary - Data types

4 Project: Calculator

  1. Project design
  2. Add and subtract
  3. Multiply and divide
  4. process.argv
  5. Putting it together

5 Operators

  1. Arithmetic operators
  2. Assignment operators
  3. Comparison operators
  4. Logical operators
  5. Nullish coalescing
  6. Summary - Operators

6 Strings

  1. String methods
  2. String search
  3. substring and slice
  4. replace and split
  5. padStart and trim
  6. Summary - Strings

7 Conditionals

  1. The if statement
  2. else and else if
  3. switch
  4. Ternary
  5. Optional chaining
  6. Summary - Conditionals

8 Loops

  1. The for loop
  2. The while loop
  3. for...of
  4. for...in
  5. break and continue
  6. Summary - Loops

9 Project: Shopping cart

  1. Cart design
  2. Adding items
  3. Calculating totals
  4. Listing the cart
  5. Putting it together

10 Arrays

  1. Declaring arrays
  2. Array access
  3. push and pop
  4. shift and unshift
  5. splice and slice
  6. Summary - Arrays

11 Array methods

  1. map
  2. filter
  3. reduce
  4. find and some
  5. forEach
  6. Summary - Array methods

12 Objects

  1. Object literal
  2. Property access
  3. Computed properties
  4. Object methods
  5. Object spread
  6. Summary - Objects

13 Functions

  1. Defining functions
  2. Return values
  3. Arrow functions
  4. Default parameters
  5. Rest parameters
  6. Summary - Functions

14 Callbacks

  1. What are callbacks?
  2. Higher-order functions
  3. forEach with callbacks
  4. Error-first callbacks
  5. Callback hell
  6. Summary - Callbacks

15 Project: To-do CLI

  1. Task model
  2. Adding tasks
  3. Listing tasks
  4. Completing tasks
  5. Putting it together

16 Promises

  1. What are promises?
  2. then and catch
  3. Promise.all
  4. Promise.race
  5. finally
  6. Summary - Promises

17 async/await

  1. async function
  2. await
  3. try/catch
  4. await with Promise.all
  5. Sequential await
  6. Summary - async/await

18 fs module

  1. fs.promises
  2. readFile
  3. writeFile
  4. appendFile
  5. existsSync
  6. Summary - fs module

19 path module

  1. path.join
  2. path.resolve
  3. path.parse
  4. path.dirname and basename
  5. path.extname
  6. Summary - path module

20 Beginner final

  1. Project design
  2. Data model
  3. Business logic
  4. fs persistence
  5. Putting it together