How to rename a directory in Node.js [3 Ways]

# Table of Contents

1. How to rename a directory in Node.js
2. Rename a directory in Node.js using fs.renameSync()
3. Rename a directory in Node.js using callbacks with fs.rename()

# How to rename a directory in Node.js

To rename a directory in Node.js:

1. Import the fs module from fs/promises.
2. Use the fs.rename() method to rename the directory.
3. The method takes the old path and the new path and renames the directory.

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import fs from 'fs/promises';

// 👇️ If you use CommonJS require()
// const fs = require('fs/promises'):

async function renameDirectory(oldName, newName) {
  try {
    await fs.rename(oldName, newName);
  } catch (err) {
    console.log(err);
  }
}

const oldName = './old-dir-name';
const newName = './new-dir-name';

renameDirectory(oldName, newName).then(() => {
  console.log('directory renamed successfully');
});

The code sample above uses the ES6 modules import/export syntax.

If you use the CommonJS require() syntax, use the following import statement instead.

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const fs = require('fs/promises'):

The renameDirectory() function takes the old path to the directory and the new path as parameters and renames the directory.

The function uses the async/await syntax, so it returns a Promise that gets resolved once the directory has been renamed.

The fsPromises.rename() method takes 2 parameters:

1. oldPath - the old path to the directory.
2. newPath - the new path to the directory.

The method renames oldPath to newPath and returns a Promise that resolves with undefined upon success.

The example assumes that you want to rename a directory with an oldPath of ./old-dir-name to a newPath of ./new-dir-name.

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renameDirectory(oldName, newName).then(() => {
  console.log('directory renamed successfully');
});

Alternatively, you can use the fs.renameSync() method.

# Rename a directory in Node.js using fs.renameSync()

You can also rename a directory synchronously in a similar way.

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import fs from 'fs';

// 👇️ If you use the CommonJS require() syntax
// const fs = require('fs')

function renameDirectory(oldName, newName) {
  try {
    fs.renameSync(oldName, newName);
  } catch (err) {
    console.log(err);
  }
}

const oldName = './old-dir-name';
const newName = './new-dir-name';

renameDirectory(oldName, newName);

console.log('Directory has been renamed successfully');

Notice that we imported the fs module from fs and not from fs/promises this time.

If you use the CommonJS require() syntax, use the following import statement instead.

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const fs = require('fs')

The renameDirectory() function takes the oldPath and the newPath as parameters and renames the directory synchronously.

The function returns undefined as this is the return value of the fs.renameSync method.

# Rename a directory in Node.js using callbacks with fs.rename()

You can also use the fs.rename() method to rename a directory using the callback-style syntax.

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import fs from 'fs';

// 👇️ If you use the CommonJS require() syntax
// const fs = require('fs')

function renameDirectory(oldName, newName) {
  fs.rename(oldName, newName, error => {
    if (error) {
      throw new Error(error);
    }
  });
}

const oldName = './old-dir-name';
const newName = './new-dir-name';

renameDirectory(oldName, newName);

console.log('Directory has been renamed successfully');

We passed the following 3 arguments to the fs.rename() method:

1. oldPath - the old path to the directory.
2. newPath - the new path to the directory.
3. a callback function that gets called with an error if the operation fails.

If renaming the directory succeeds the error parameter is null.

# Additional Resources

You can learn more about the related topics by checking out the following tutorials:

• Find the Files that match a pattern using Node.js
• Node.js fs.readdirSync() method explained (with examples)
• How to Replace a String in a File using Node.js
• Await is only valid in async function error in JS and NodeJS
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• List all directories in a directory in Node.js [4 Ways]
• How to get the Number of CPU Cores using Node.js
• Count the number of Files in a Directory using Node.js
• How to Delete all Files in a Directory using Node.js
• Convert an Image or an Image URL to base64 in Node.js
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