Registry / http-networking / promptly

promptly

JSON →
library0.6.3jsnpmunverified

Promptly is a focused Node.js utility for handling command-line input and user interaction. Currently stable at version 3.2.0, it provides a robust `prompt` function with extensive options for input validation, default values, silent input (e.g., for passwords), character replacement, and custom input/output streams. It supports retry logic for failed validations by default and offers timeout functionality. While the release cadence isn't explicitly stated in the provided documentation, its stable 3.x version and continued maintenance on GitHub suggest a steady, albeit perhaps slower, evolution. Its key differentiators lie in its comprehensive validation system with custom error messages and automatic retries, as well as fine-grained control over I/O streams and timeouts, making it suitable for building interactive CLI tools where user input quality is critical. It is primarily used in Node.js environments for CLI applications.

http-networkingweb-framework
npm install promptly
github ↗package ↗
INSTALL
IMPORT
SIG · PROMPTLY
P
promptly
http-networkingjavascriptv0.6.3
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.

promptly
✓ const promptly = require('promptly');
✗ import promptly from 'promptly';
The library primarily uses CommonJS `require()` as shown in documentation examples. While Node.js supports ESM, `promptly` as a whole might not be directly importable as a default ESM export in all environments without bundler configuration. Use `require` for full compatibility with v3.x.
prompt
✓ const { prompt } = require('promptly');
✗ import { prompt } from 'promptly';
While `prompt` is the main function, it's typically accessed as a property of the `promptly` module. Direct named import might not work reliably depending on ESM support in the package's build. Stick to destructuring from the `require`'d module.
Async/Await usage
✓ (async () => { const name = await promptly.prompt('Name: '); console.log(name); })();
✗ promptly.prompt('Name: ').then(name => console.log(name));
Although `.then()` works, `promptly` functions return Promises, making them ideal for use with `async/await` for cleaner, more synchronous-looking code, especially when chaining multiple prompts or handling errors with `try/catch`.

This quickstart demonstrates basic prompting, input validation with custom error messages, and silent input for sensitive information like passwords, utilizing async/await for clarity.

const promptly = require('promptly'); const validator = function (value) { if (value.length < 2) { throw new Error('Min length of 2'); } return value; }; (async () => { try { console.log('Please enter your name. It must be at least 2 characters long.'); // Since retry is true by default, promptly will keep asking for a name until it is valid // Between each prompt, the error message from the validator will be printed const name = await promptly.prompt('Your Name: ', { validator }); console.log(`Hello, ${name}!`); // Example with silent input (for password) const password = await promptly.prompt('Enter password (will not show): ', { silent: true, replace: '*' }); console.log('Password length:', password.length); } catch (err) { console.error('An error occurred:', err.message); } })();
Debug
Known issues
gotchaBy default, `promptly` will retry indefinitely if a validator fails. If you want to handle validation errors yourself after a single attempt, you must explicitly set the `retry` option to `false`.
fix
Set `retry: false` in the options object: `promptly.prompt('Message: ', { validator, retry: false })`.
affects: >=1.0.0
gotchaWhen using the `timeout` option, if the user does not provide input within the specified time, `promptly` will throw an `Error('timed out')`. It does not return `null` or the default value automatically unless `useDefaultOnTimeout` is set.
fix
Wrap calls with `timeout` in a `try/catch` block to handle the `Error('timed out')`. Alternatively, set `useDefaultOnTimeout: true` to return the `default` value if a timeout occurs: `promptly.prompt('Message: ', { timeout: 3000, default: 'Guest', useDefaultOnTimeout: true })`.
affects: >=1.0.0
gotchaValidator functions must throw an `Error` object (or a string which promptly wraps in an Error) to indicate failure. Returning `false` or any other non-Error value will not trigger a validation failure.
fix
Ensure your validator function explicitly throws an `Error` instance or a string message when validation fails, e.g., `throw new Error('Validation failed');`.
affects: >=1.0.0
Errors
Common errors & fixes
Error: timed out
The user did not provide input within the `timeout` duration specified in the options.
fix
Handle the `Error('timed out')` within a `try/catch` block or set `useDefaultOnTimeout: true` in the options if a default value should be used instead of throwing an error.
ReferenceError: require is not defined in ES module scope
Attempting to use `require()` in an ECMAScript Module (ESM) file (e.g., a `.mjs` file or a file in a package with `"type": "module"` in `package.json`).
fix
If `promptly` does not provide an official ESM export for direct `import`, you might need to use a dynamic `import()` or adjust your project to use CommonJS modules where `promptly` is needed. For `promptly`, stick to `const promptly = require('promptly');` in CommonJS contexts.
Error: Min length of 2
This is a custom error thrown by a user-defined validator function because the input did not meet the specified length requirement.
fix
The user input needs to satisfy the conditions of the validator. If `retry` is `true` (default), simply re-enter valid input. If `retry` is `false`, the error must be caught and handled in a `try/catch` block.
Upgrade
Version history
0.6.3latest on npm
Audit
Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity
4 hits · last 30 days
node
4
Resources
githubhttps://github.com/moxystudio/node-promptly ↗
packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/promptly ↗
promptly — npm install promptly · libregistry