epub-parser

library0.2.5jsnpmunverified

A library for parsing EPUB files into JSON, simplifying access to metadata, table of contents, and structural elements. Version 0.2.5 (last updated 2014) is a stable but archaic release with low maintenance. It depends on xml2js, node-zip, and eyes for logging. Unlike modern alternatives (e.g., epub.js), it runs only in Node.js and converts EPUB's internal XML (NCX, OPF) into nested JSON objects, providing both an 'easy' simplified namespace and a 'raw' direct mapping. No longer actively developed; consider for parsing older EPUB2 files, but lacks support for EPUB3, async/await, and streaming.

serialization data

npm install epub-parser

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · EPUB-PARSER

epub-parser

serializationjavascriptv0.2.5

harness data pending

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

No compatibility data collected yet for this library.

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

open

✓ var epubParser = require('epub-parser'); epubParser.open('path/to/book.epub', function(err, data) { ... });

✗ import epubParser from 'epub-parser'; epubParser.open(...);

Library uses CommonJS and does not support ESM import. The open function takes a path (not a buffer) and a callback.

easy

✓ var epubParser = require('epub-parser'); epubParser.open(path, function(err, data) { console.log(data.easy); });

✗ var easy = require('epub-parser').easy;

The 'easy' namespace is only available after opening an EPUB file, not as a static export.

raw

✓ var epubParser = require('epub-parser'); epubParser.open(path, function(err, data) { console.log(data.raw.json.ncx); });

✗ var raw = require('epub-parser').raw;

Same pattern: 'raw' is a property of the object passed to the callback, not a top-level export.

Shows basic usage of opening an EPUB file and accessing both the simplified 'easy' and detailed 'raw' namespaces from the callback.

var epubParser = require('epub-parser'); var path = '/path/to/book.epub'; epubParser.open(path, function(err, data) { if (err) { console.error('Error:', err); return; } console.log('Easy namespace:', data.easy); console.log('Raw NCX:', data.raw.json.ncx); console.log('NavMap HTML:', data.easy.navMapHTML); });

Debug

Known issues

deprecatedLibrary is unmaintained since 2014. Expect no bug fixes or updates for modern Node.js versions (10+).

fix

Consider migrating to active alternatives like epub.js (browser) or epub2 (Node).

affects: >=0.2.0

gotchaThe open function expects a file path string, but does not validate the input. Passing a buffer or URL will cause silent failures.

fix

Ensure the argument is a valid file path to an existing .epub file on disk.

affects: *

gotchaCallback style only; no Promise or async/await support. Error handling is mandatory as errors may be thrown if the file is corrupt.

fix

Always handle the 'err' parameter in the callback. Use a promise wrapper if needed.

affects: *

deprecatedDependency 'node-zip' is obsolete and uses a non-standard compression library. Unzipping may fail on large files or with special characters.

fix

Replace with a modern zip library like adm-zip or yauzl if forking.

affects: 0.2.x

gotchaThe 'easy.navMapHTML' property may contain invalid HTML or missing closing tags. It is not sanitized for XSS.

fix

Sanitize the HTML output with a library like DOMPurify before rendering.

affects: *

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: Cannot find module 'node-zip'

Missing dependency node-zip, which is required for unzipping EPUB files.

fix

Run 'npm install node-zip' or add it to your package.json.

TypeError: epubParser.open is not a function

Using ES module import syntax (import) on a CommonJS-only module that does not export a default.

fix

Use const epubParser = require('epub-parser') instead of import.

Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'path/to/file.epub'

The provided path does not point to an existing EPUB file.

fix

Double-check the file path and ensure the file exists.

Upgrade

Version history

0.2.5latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

xml2jsrequiredXML-to-JSON conversion for EPUB metadata and NCX files

node-ziprequiredUnzipping EPUB archive to access internal files

eyesoptionalInspector for debugging data structures (optional, can be replaced with console)

Agent activity

7 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/Vaporbook/epub-parser ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/epub-parser ↗