Node.js v14.17.4 documentation

Design and features#

The repl module exports the repl.REPLServer class. While running, instances of repl.REPLServer will accept individual lines of user input, evaluate those according to a user-defined evaluation function, then output the result. Input and output may be from stdin and stdout, respectively, or may be connected to any Node.js stream.

Instances of repl.REPLServer support automatic completion of inputs, completion preview, simplistic Emacs-style line editing, multi-line inputs, ZSH-like reverse-i-search, ZSH-like substring-based history search, ANSI-styled output, saving and restoring current REPL session state, error recovery, and customizable evaluation functions. Terminals that do not support ANSI styles and Emacs-style line editing automatically fall back to a limited feature set.

Commands and special keys#

The following special commands are supported by all REPL instances:

• .break: When in the process of inputting a multi-line expression, enter the .break command (or press Ctrl+C) to abort further input or processing of that expression.
• .clear: Resets the REPL context to an empty object and clears any multi-line expression being input.
• .exit: Close the I/O stream, causing the REPL to exit.
• .help: Show this list of special commands.
• .save: Save the current REPL session to a file: > .save ./file/to/save.js
• .load: Load a file into the current REPL session. > .load ./file/to/load.js
• .editor: Enter editor mode (Ctrl+D to finish, Ctrl+C to cancel).

> .editor
// Entering editor mode (^D to finish, ^C to cancel)
function welcome(name) {
  return `Hello ${name}!`;
}

welcome('Node.js User');

// ^D
'Hello Node.js User!'
>

The following key combinations in the REPL have these special effects:

• Ctrl+C: When pressed once, has the same effect as the .break command. When pressed twice on a blank line, has the same effect as the .exit command.
• Ctrl+D: Has the same effect as the .exit command.
• Tab: When pressed on a blank line, displays global and local (scope) variables. When pressed while entering other input, displays relevant autocompletion options.

For key bindings related to the reverse-i-search, see reverse-i-search. For all other key bindings, see TTY keybindings.

Default evaluation#

By default, all instances of repl.REPLServer use an evaluation function that evaluates JavaScript expressions and provides access to Node.js built-in modules. This default behavior can be overridden by passing in an alternative evaluation function when the repl.REPLServer instance is created.

JavaScript expressions#

The default evaluator supports direct evaluation of JavaScript expressions:

> 1 + 1
2
> const m = 2
undefined
> m + 1
3

Unless otherwise scoped within blocks or functions, variables declared either implicitly or using the const, let, or var keywords are declared at the global scope.

Global and local scope#

The default evaluator provides access to any variables that exist in the global scope. It is possible to expose a variable to the REPL explicitly by assigning it to the context object associated with each REPLServer:

const repl = require('repl');
const msg = 'message';

repl.start('> ').context.m = msg;

Properties in the context object appear as local within the REPL:

$ node repl_test.js
> m
'message'

Context properties are not read-only by default. To specify read-only globals, context properties must be defined using Object.defineProperty():

const repl = require('repl');
const msg = 'message';

const r = repl.start('> ');
Object.defineProperty(r.context, 'm', {
  configurable: false,
  enumerable: true,
  value: msg
});

Accessing core Node.js modules#

The default evaluator will automatically load Node.js core modules into the REPL environment when used. For instance, unless otherwise declared as a global or scoped variable, the input fs will be evaluated on-demand as global.fs = require('fs').

> fs.createReadStream('./some/file');

Global uncaught exceptions#

The REPL uses the domain module to catch all uncaught exceptions for that REPL session.

This use of the domain module in the REPL has these side effects:

• Uncaught exceptions only emit the 'uncaughtException' event in the standalone REPL. Adding a listener for this event in a REPL within another Node.js program results in ERR_INVALID_REPL_INPUT.

  const r = repl.start();
  
  r.write('process.on("uncaughtException", () => console.log("Foobar"));\n');
  // Output stream includes:
  //   TypeError [ERR_INVALID_REPL_INPUT]: Listeners for `uncaughtException`
  //   cannot be used in the REPL
  
  r.close();

• Trying to use process.setUncaughtExceptionCaptureCallback() throws an ERR_DOMAIN_CANNOT_SET_UNCAUGHT_EXCEPTION_CAPTURE error.

Assignment of the _ (underscore) variable#

The default evaluator will, by default, assign the result of the most recently evaluated expression to the special variable _ (underscore). Explicitly setting _ to a value will disable this behavior.

> [ 'a', 'b', 'c' ]
[ 'a', 'b', 'c' ]
> _.length
3
> _ += 1
Expression assignment to _ now disabled.
4
> 1 + 1
2
> _
4

Similarly, _error will refer to the last seen error, if there was any. Explicitly setting _error to a value will disable this behavior.

> throw new Error('foo');
Error: foo
> _error.message
'foo'

await keyword#

With the --experimental-repl-await command-line option specified, experimental support for the await keyword is enabled.

> await Promise.resolve(123)
123
> await Promise.reject(new Error('REPL await'))
Error: REPL await
    at repl:1:45