readme.md for @push.rocks/smartfile

High-level file representation classes for Node.js
🚀 What is smartfile?
@push.rocks/smartfile provides powerful in-memory file representations for Node.js applications. It offers clean, TypeScript-first classes for working with files (
SmartFile), streams (
StreamFile), and virtual file collections (
VirtualDirectory).
Think of it as your go-to solution for content manipulation, file transformations, and in-memory file operations - all while seamlessly integrating with @push.rocks/smartfs for actual filesystem operations.
Issue Reporting and Security
For reporting bugs, issues, or security vulnerabilities, please visit community.foss.global/. This is the central community hub for all issue reporting. Developers who want to sign a contribution agreement and go through identification can also get a code.foss.global/ account to submit Pull Requests directly.
💾 Installation
pnpm install @push.rocks/smartfile
# Optional: Install smartfs for filesystem operations
pnpm install @push.rocks/smartfs
✨ Key Features
🎯 Factory Pattern - Clean, consistent API for creating file instances
🔥 Streaming Support - Handle massive files efficiently with 
StreamFile
📦 Virtual Directories - Work with in-memory file collections
🌐 URL Support - Directly fetch files from URLs
🎨 Content Manipulation - Edit, transform, and parse file content
⚡ TypeScript First - Full type safety and IntelliSense support
🛠️ Comprehensive Collection API - Filter, map, find files in virtual directories
📚 Quick Start
Using the Factory
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
// Create factory (uses Node.js filesystem by default)
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Load a file into memory
const file = await factory.fromFilePath('./config.json');
// Edit content
await file.editContentAsString(async (content) => {
  return content.toUpperCase();
});
// Save back to disk
await file.write();
With SmartFs Integration
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
import { SmartFs, SmartFsProviderNode } from '@push.rocks/smartfs';
// Create SmartFs instance with provider
const smartFs = new SmartFs(new SmartFsProviderNode());
// Create factory bound to this filesystem
const factory = new SmartFileFactory(smartFs);
// Now all file operations use the smartfs instance
const file = await factory.fromFilePath('./data.json');
await file.write(); // Uses smartfs under the hood
🎨 Core Components
SmartFileFactory
The factory is your entry point for creating all file instances:
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Create from various sources
const fileFromPath = await factory.fromFilePath('./data.json');
const fileFromUrl = await factory.fromUrl('https://example.com/config.json');
const fileFromBuffer = factory.fromBuffer('./file.txt', Buffer.from('content'));
const fileFromString = factory.fromString('./file.txt', 'Hello World', 'utf8');
// Create StreamFile instances
const stream = await factory.streamFromPath('./large-file.zip');
const streamFromUrl = await factory.streamFromUrl('https://example.com/video.mp4');
// Create VirtualDirectory instances
const vdir = await factory.virtualDirectoryFromPath('./src');
const emptyVdir = factory.virtualDirectoryEmpty();
SmartFile Class
Represents a single file loaded in memory:
// Created via factory
const file = await factory.fromFilePath('./data.json');
// Content access
const asString = file.parseContentAsString();
const asBuffer = file.parseContentAsBuffer();
// Content manipulation
await file.editContentAsString(async (content) => {
  const data = JSON.parse(content);
  data.updated = new Date().toISOString();
  return JSON.stringify(data, null, 2);
});
// File operations
await file.write();                          // Save to original location
await file.writeToDiskAtPath('./output.json'); // Save to specific path
await file.writeToDir('./dist');            // Save to directory
await file.read();                           // Reload from disk
await file.delete();                         // Delete from disk
// Metadata
const size = await file.getSize();           // File size in bytes
const hash = await file.getHash('content');  // SHA256 hash
const stream = file.getStream();             // Get as Node.js stream
// Path information
console.log(file.path);                      // Relative path
console.log(file.absolutePath);              // Absolute path
console.log(file.parsedPath);                // Parsed path components
StreamFile Class
Perfect for handling large files without memory overhead:
// Created via factory
const streamFile = await factory.streamFromPath('./bigfile.zip');
// Or from URL
const urlStream = await factory.streamFromUrl('https://example.com/large.mp4');
// Or from buffer
const bufferStream = factory.streamFromBuffer(Buffer.from('content'));
// Write to disk (streams the content)
await streamFile.writeToDisk('./output/bigfile.zip');
await streamFile.writeToDir('./output');
// Get content (loads into memory - use carefully!)
const buffer = await streamFile.getContentAsBuffer();
const string = await streamFile.getContentAsString('utf8');
// Get as Node.js stream for piping
const readStream = await streamFile.createReadStream();
// Convert to SmartFile (loads into memory)
const smartFile = await streamFile.toSmartFile();
// Get file size
const size = await streamFile.getSize();
VirtualDirectory Class
Manage collections of SmartFiles in memory:
// Created via factory
const vdir = await factory.virtualDirectoryFromPath('./src');
// Or create empty
const emptyVdir = factory.virtualDirectoryEmpty();
// Or from file array
const files = [file1, file2, file3];
const vdirFromFiles = factory.virtualDirectoryFromFileArray(files);
// ============================================
// Collection Queries (in-memory operations)
// ============================================
// Check existence in collection
if (vdir.exists('components/Button.tsx')) {
  console.log('File exists in virtual directory');
}
// Get file from collection
const file = await vdir.getFileByPath('utils/helpers.ts');
// List all files
const allFiles = vdir.listFiles();
// List directory paths represented in collection
const dirs = vdir.listDirectories();
// Filter files
const tsFiles = vdir.filter(f => f.path.endsWith('.ts'));
const largeFiles = vdir.filter(f => f.contentBuffer.length > 10000);
// Map/transform files
const uppercased = vdir.map(f => {
  f.contentBuffer = Buffer.from(f.parseContentAsString().toUpperCase());
  return f;
});
// Find specific file
const configFile = vdir.find(f => f.path.includes('config'));
// Collection info
const fileCount = vdir.size();
const empty = vdir.isEmpty();
// ============================================
// Collection Mutations
// ============================================
// Add files
vdir.addSmartfile(newFile);
vdir.addSmartfiles([file1, file2, file3]);
// Remove file
vdir.removeByPath('old-file.ts');
// Clear all files
vdir.clear();
// Merge another virtual directory
vdir.merge(otherVirtualDir);
// ============================================
// Load/Save (filesystem bridge operations)
// ============================================
// Save all files to disk
await vdir.saveToDisk('./dist');
// Reload from disk
await vdir.loadFromDisk('./src');
// Work with subdirectories
const subVdir = await vdir.shiftToSubdirectory('components');
await vdir.addVirtualDirectory(otherVdir, 'lib');
🔄 Integration with SmartFs
For filesystem operations beyond loading/saving content, use @push.rocks/smartfs:
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
import { SmartFs, SmartFsProviderNode } from '@push.rocks/smartfs';
const smartFs = new SmartFs(new SmartFsProviderNode());
const factory = new SmartFileFactory(smartFs);
// Use smartfile for content manipulation
const file = await factory.fromFilePath('./config.json');
await file.editContentAsString(async (s) => s.toUpperCase());
await file.write();
// Use smartfs for filesystem operations
const exists = await smartFs.file('./config.json').exists();
await smartFs.file('./config.json').copy('./config.backup.json');
const stats = await smartFs.file('./config.json').stat();
// List directory with smartfs
const entries = await smartFs.directory('./src').list();
🌟 Common Use Cases
Configuration File Management
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Load, modify, and save config
const config = await factory.fromFilePath('./package.json');
await config.editContentAsString(async (content) => {
  const pkg = JSON.parse(content);
  pkg.version = '2.0.0';
  return JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2);
});
await config.write();
Batch File Processing
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Load directory into virtual collection
const vdir = await factory.virtualDirectoryFromPath('./content');
// Process all markdown files
const mdFiles = vdir.filter(f => f.path.endsWith('.md'));
for (const file of mdFiles.listFiles()) {
  await file.editContentAsString(async (content) => {
    // Add frontmatter, transform links, etc.
    return `---\nprocessed: true\n---\n\n${content}`;
  });
}
// Save processed files
await vdir.saveToDisk('./dist/content');
Download and Process Remote Files
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Fetch from URL
const remoteFile = await factory.fromUrl('https://api.example.com/data.json');
// Process content
await remoteFile.editContentAsString(async (content) => {
  const data = JSON.parse(content);
  // Transform data
  return JSON.stringify(data.results, null, 2);
});
// Save locally
await remoteFile.writeToDiskAtPath('./cache/data.json');
Large File Streaming
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
// Download large file as stream
const largeFile = await factory.streamFromUrl('https://example.com/large-dataset.csv');
// Save to disk (streams, doesn't load all into memory)
await largeFile.writeToDisk('./data/dataset.csv');
// Or get size without downloading entire file
const size = await largeFile.getSize();
console.log(`File size: ${size} bytes`);
Virtual File System for Testing
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
import { SmartFs, SmartFsProviderMemory } from '@push.rocks/smartfs';
// Use in-memory filesystem for tests
const memoryFs = new SmartFs(new SmartFsProviderMemory());
const factory = new SmartFileFactory(memoryFs);
// Create virtual files
const testFile = factory.fromString('test.txt', 'test content');
await testFile.write(); // Writes to in-memory filesystem
// Test your code without touching real filesystem
🏗️ Architecture
Responsibility Split
@push.rocks/smartfile (this package):
✅ In-memory file representations (SmartFile, StreamFile, VirtualDirectory)
✅ Content manipulation and transformation
✅ Loading content FROM sources (disk, URL, buffer, string)
✅ Saving content TO destinations (disk, stream)
✅ Collection operations (filter, map, find on VirtualDirectory)
@push.rocks/smartfs:
✅ Low-level filesystem operations (exists, stat, copy, move, delete)
✅ Directory operations (list, create, remove)
✅ Provider abstraction (Node.js fs, in-memory, S3, etc.)
✅ Streaming (readStream, writeStream)
✅ Transactions and file watching
📖 API Reference
SmartFileFactory
Method
Description
SmartFileFactory.nodeFs()
Create factory with Node.js filesystem provider
new SmartFileFactory(smartFs)
Create factory with custom SmartFs instance
factory.fromFilePath(path, base?)
Load file from disk into SmartFile
factory.fromUrl(url)
Fetch file from URL into SmartFile
factory.fromBuffer(path, buffer, base?)
Create SmartFile from Buffer
factory.fromString(path, content, encoding, base?)
Create SmartFile from string
factory.streamFromPath(path)
Create StreamFile from disk
factory.streamFromUrl(url)
Create StreamFile from URL
factory.streamFromBuffer(buffer, path?)
Create StreamFile from Buffer
factory.virtualDirectoryFromPath(path)
Load directory into VirtualDirectory
factory.virtualDirectoryEmpty()
Create empty VirtualDirectory
factory.virtualDirectoryFromFileArray(files)
Create VirtualDirectory from SmartFiles
SmartFile Instance Methods
Method
Description
file.write()
Save to original location
file.writeToDiskAtPath(path)
Save to specific path
file.writeToDir(dir)
Save to directory (preserves relative path)
file.read()
Reload content from disk
file.delete()
Delete file from disk
file.editContentAsString(fn)
Transform content as string
file.parseContentAsString(encoding?)
Get content as string
file.parseContentAsBuffer()
Get content as Buffer
file.getHash(type?)
Get SHA256 hash ('path', 'content', 'all')
file.getSize()
Get content size in bytes
file.getStream()
Get content as Node.js Readable stream
StreamFile Instance Methods
Method
Description
stream.writeToDisk(path)
Stream content to disk
stream.writeToDir(dir)
Stream to directory
stream.createReadStream()
Get as Node.js Readable stream
stream.getContentAsBuffer()
Load entire content into Buffer
stream.getContentAsString(encoding?)
Load entire content as string
stream.getSize()
Get content size in bytes
stream.toSmartFile()
Convert to SmartFile (loads into memory)
VirtualDirectory Instance Methods
Collection Queries:
Method
Description
vdir.exists(path)
Check if file exists in collection
vdir.has(path)
Alias for exists()
vdir.getFileByPath(path)
Get SmartFile by path
vdir.listFiles()
Get all SmartFiles
vdir.listDirectories()
Get all directory paths
vdir.filter(predicate)
Filter files, returns new VirtualDirectory
vdir.map(fn)
Transform files, returns new VirtualDirectory
vdir.find(predicate)
Find first matching file
vdir.size()
Get file count
vdir.isEmpty()
Check if empty
Collection Mutations:
Method
Description
vdir.addSmartfile(file)
Add single file
vdir.addSmartfiles(files)
Add multiple files
vdir.removeByPath(path)
Remove file by path
vdir.clear()
Remove all files
vdir.merge(otherVdir)
Merge another VirtualDirectory
Load/Save:
Method
Description
vdir.saveToDisk(dir)
Write all files to disk
vdir.loadFromDisk(dir)
Load files from disk (replaces collection)
🔧 TypeScript Support
Full TypeScript support with comprehensive type definitions:
import type { SmartFile, StreamFile, VirtualDirectory, SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
const processFile = async (file: SmartFile): Promise<void> => {
  const content = file.parseContentAsString();
  // TypeScript knows content is string
};
📦 Backward Compatibility
Version 12.0.0 introduces the factory pattern. Legacy exports are deprecated but still functional:
// ⚠️ Deprecated (still works, but will be removed)
import * as smartfile from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
const file = await smartfile.SmartFile.fromFilePath('./file.txt');
await smartfile.fs.copy('./a.txt', './b.txt');
// ✅ Recommended (new factory pattern)
import { SmartFileFactory } from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
const factory = SmartFileFactory.nodeFs();
const file = await factory.fromFilePath('./file.txt');
// For filesystem operations, use smartfs:
import { SmartFs, SmartFsProviderNode } from '@push.rocks/smartfs';
const smartFs = new SmartFs(new SmartFsProviderNode());
await smartFs.file('./a.txt').copy('./b.txt');
License and Legal Information
This repository contains open-source code that is licensed under the MIT License. A copy of the MIT License can be found in the license file within this repository.
Please note: The MIT License does not grant permission to use the trade names, trademarks, service marks, or product names of the project, except as required for reasonable and customary use in describing the origin of the work and reproducing the content of the NOTICE file.
Trademarks
This project is owned and maintained by Task Venture Capital GmbH. The names and logos associated with Task Venture Capital GmbH and any related products or services are trademarks of Task Venture Capital GmbH and are not included within the scope of the MIT license granted herein. Use of these trademarks must comply with Task Venture Capital GmbH's Trademark Guidelines, and any usage must be approved in writing by Task Venture Capital GmbH.
Company Information
Task Venture Capital GmbH
Registered at District court Bremen HRB 35230 HB, Germany
For any legal inquiries or if you require further information, please contact us via email at hello@task.vc.
By using this repository, you acknowledge that you have read this section, agree to comply with its terms, and understand that the licensing of the code does not imply endorsement by Task Venture Capital GmbH of any derivative works.