node-zip

library1.1.1jsnpmunverified

node-zip is a Node.js library for zipping and unzipping files, originally ported from an older version of JSZip. The current and only stable version is 1.1.1, which was last published over a decade ago in May 2015. This package is explicitly identified as a legacy and unmaintained project by the wider Node.js community, with strong recommendations against its use in new development due to potential security vulnerabilities, lack of modern features, and inherent performance limitations for large files. Modern alternatives like `jszip`, `adm-zip`, or `zip-stream` are recommended for active projects, offering better maintenance, asynchronous APIs, and streaming capabilities.

serialization

npm install node-zip

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · NODE-ZIP

node-zip

serializationjavascriptv1.1.1

Install

—

Import

—

Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

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

Zip

✓ const Zip = require('node-zip'); const zipInstance = new Zip();

✗ import Zip from 'node-zip'; // ESM is not supported import { Zip } from 'node-zip'; // Not a named export const zipInstance = require('node-zip'); // 'new' keyword is required

This package is CommonJS-only and the primary export is a constructor function. It does not support ES Modules (`import`).

This quickstart demonstrates how to create a ZIP archive with text and binary content, save it to disk, and then read/extract files from the created ZIP using `node-zip`.

const fs = require('fs'); const Zip = require('node-zip'); // --- Zipping a file --- const zip = new Zip(); zip.file('my_test.txt', 'Hello, this is a test file content.'); zip.file('another_folder/image.jpg', 'fake image data here, imagine a buffer'); // Can add binary data const zippedData = zip.generate({ base64: false, compression: 'DEFLATE' }); // IMPORTANT: When writing to a file, use 'binary' encoding. fs.writeFileSync('output.zip', zippedData, 'binary'); console.log('Successfully created output.zip'); // --- Unzipping a file --- // For demonstration, we'll read the file we just created const zipBuffer = fs.readFileSync('output.zip', 'binary'); const unzip = new Zip(zipBuffer, { base64: false, checkCRC32: true }); console.log('\n--- Unzipped Content ---'); console.log('Content of my_test.txt:', unzip.files['my_test.txt'].asText()); // For binary files, you'd access .asBinary() or .asNodeBuffer() console.log('File metadata for another_folder/image.jpg:', unzip.files['another_folder/image.jpg']);

Debug

Known issues

breakingThis package is explicitly abandoned and has not received updates since 2015. It lacks modern features, performance optimizations (like streaming for large files), and security patches, making it unsuitable for new projects and risky for existing ones.

fix

Migrate to actively maintained alternatives such as `jszip` (for browser and Node.js), `adm-zip` (Node.js, synchronous), or `zip-stream`/`archiver` (Node.js, streaming for large files).

affects: >=1.1.1

gotchaWhen writing generated ZIP data to a file using Node.js's `fs.writeFileSync`, it is critical to specify `'binary'` encoding. Failing to do so can corrupt the ZIP archive, rendering it unreadable.

fix

Ensure `fs.writeFileSync('file.zip', data, 'binary');` is used. Do not rely on default string encodings.

affects: >=1.0.0

breakingDue to its age and lack of maintenance, `node-zip` does not support ES Modules (ESM) and must be imported using CommonJS `require()`. Attempting to `import` it will result in errors.

fix

Always use `const Zip = require('node-zip');` to import the library. If your project is ESM-only, you may need a wrapper or to transition to a modern, ESM-compatible zip library.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaOlder, non-streaming zip libraries like `node-zip` can lead to 'JavaScript heap out of memory' errors or block the Node.js event loop when processing large ZIP files, as they often load the entire archive into memory.

fix

For large files, use streaming-based libraries (e.g., `zip-stream`, `unzipper`) which process data in chunks to conserve memory and avoid blocking. If you must use `node-zip`, process smaller files only.

affects: >=1.0.0

breakingThe library is unmaintained and will not receive security updates for known vulnerabilities (e.g., zip bombs, path traversal attacks). Using it in production could expose your application to security risks.

fix

Immediately migrate to a well-maintained and actively supported zip library that has a track record of addressing security concerns.

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope

Attempting to use `require()` in an ES Module context when `node-zip` is a CommonJS module.

fix

If your project is ES Module-based, you must use `import { createRequire } from 'module'; const require = createRequire(import.meta.url); const Zip = require('node-zip');`. However, migrating to a modern, ESM-compatible zip library is highly recommended.

TypeError: Zip is not a constructor

Calling `require('node-zip')` directly without the `new` keyword, or incorrectly trying to access named exports.

fix

The primary export of `node-zip` is a constructor function. It must be instantiated with `new`: `const Zip = require('node-zip'); const zipInstance = new Zip();`.

Error: incorrect data size (decompression)

This error typically occurs during decompression if the input ZIP data is corrupted or if the data was written to disk using an incorrect encoding (e.g., UTF-8 instead of binary).

fix

Ensure that when writing the ZIP buffer to a file, `fs.writeFileSync` uses the `'binary'` encoding: `fs.writeFileSync('output.zip', data, 'binary');`. Also verify the integrity of the input ZIP file.

FATAL ERROR: Ineffective mark-compacts near heap limit Allocation failed - JavaScript heap out of memory

Processing very large ZIP files or archives with many entries without streaming, causing the Node.js process to exceed its allocated memory limit.

fix

Consider `node-zip` unsuitable for large files. Migrate to streaming-based zip libraries (e.g., `unzipper`, `zip-stream`) for efficient memory management when handling large archives.

Upgrade

Version history

1.1.1latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

4 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/daraosn/node-zip ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/node-zip ↗