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.

Exercise 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).

Show example solution

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

Test yourself

Fill in the blank: path.resolve

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

Show answer

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

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
Show answer

resolve always returns an absolute path — resolve turns the result into an absolute path.
path.resolve concepts

resolve

makes absolute
cwd

current directory
absolute

starts from root

Next lesson: path.parse

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