utility

library1.0jsnpmunverified

The `utility` package provides a diverse collection of JavaScript and TypeScript utilities primarily designed for Node.js environments. It includes functions for common tasks such as hashing (MD5, SHA1, SHA256, HMAC), various encoding/decoding operations (Base64, URL encoding, HTML escaping), date formatting, string manipulation, and other miscellaneous helpers like `randomString` and `getParamNames`. The current stable version is 2.5.0, with frequent releases, typically monthly or bi-monthly, indicating active maintenance and feature development. Key differentiators include its focus on performance, direct TypeScript support, and a comprehensive set of functions that cover a wide range of backend needs, making it a reliable general-purpose toolkit for Node.js applications.

serialization data auth-security http-networking

npm install utility

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · UTILITY

utility

serializationjavascriptv1.0

Install

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Import

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Disk

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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.

All utilities (as namespace)

✓ import * as utils from 'utility';

✗ const utils = require('utility');

While CommonJS `require` works for older Node.js versions or CJS modules, `import * as` is the recommended way to access all utilities as a namespace in modern ESM projects and TypeScript. CommonJS support was dropped for Node.js < 16 in v2.

Specific named utility (e.g., md5)

✓ import { md5 } from 'utility';

✗ import md5 from 'utility';

Most utilities are exported as named exports. Attempting a default import for a named export will result in a runtime error.

Type imports

✓ import type { Md5Algorithm } from 'utility';

When importing only types, use `import type` for better tree-shaking and clearer intent, especially in TypeScript projects.

Demonstrates common utility functions like hashing, random string generation, date formatting, and Base64 encoding using named imports.

import { md5, sha256, randomString, YYYYMMDDHHmmssSSS, base64encode } from 'utility'; async function demonstrateUtilities() { const secretMessage = 'Hello, Checklist Day!'; console.log(`Original message: ${secretMessage}`); // Hashing const md5Hash = md5(secretMessage); console.log(`MD5 Hash: ${md5Hash}`); const sha256Hash = sha256(Buffer.from(secretMessage)); console.log(`SHA256 Hash: ${sha256Hash}`); // Random string generation const sessionId = randomString(24); console.log(`Generated Session ID: ${sessionId}`); // Date formatting const formattedDate = YYYYMMDDHHmmssSSS(); console.log(`Current formatted date: ${formattedDate}`); // Base64 encoding const encodedMessage = base64encode(secretMessage); console.log(`Base64 Encoded: ${encodedMessage}`); } demonstrateUtilities().catch(console.error);

Debug

Known issues

breakingVersion 2.0.0 of `utility` dropped support for Node.js versions older than 16. Projects running on Node.js 14 or earlier will encounter compatibility issues.

fix

Upgrade your Node.js runtime to version 16.0.0 or higher. Alternatively, pin your `utility` dependency to `<2.0.0` if unable to upgrade Node.js.

affects: >=2.0.0

deprecatedThe `utils.getIP()` function has been removed. Its functionality is no longer available directly from this package.

fix

Use the dedicated `address` package (e.g., `https://github.com/node-modules/address`) to retrieve IP addresses. Install it separately with `npm install address` and import it as needed.

affects: >=0.0.12

gotchaWhen hashing objects (e.g., `md5({a:1, b:2})`), the `utility` package performs an internal JSON stringification after sorting keys. This ensures consistent hashes for objects with the same properties in different orders but might be an unexpected behavior if direct object hashing is assumed.

fix

Be aware of this implicit behavior. If you need a different serialization for object hashing, serialize the object explicitly before passing it to the hash function (e.g., `md5(JSON.stringify(myObject))`).

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaMixing CommonJS `require` with ESM `import` in a modern Node.js project (especially `type: "module"` in `package.json`) can lead to 'require is not defined' or unexpected import resolution issues.

fix

For new projects or modules configured as ESM, consistently use `import` statements. If you must use `require` in an ESM context, consider dynamic `import()` or ensuring the module is unequivocally CommonJS.

affects: >=2.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

ReferenceError: require is not defined

Attempting to use `require()` in a JavaScript module configured as ES Module (e.g., `"type": "module"` in `package.json`).

fix

Change `const utils = require('utility');` to `import * as utils from 'utility';` or use specific named imports like `import { md5 } from 'utility';`.

TypeError: (0, utility_1.md5) is not a function

Incorrectly importing a named export as a default import, or trying to access a named export from a default-imported object that doesn't expose it that way.

fix

Ensure you are using named imports for individual utilities: `import { md5 } from 'utility';`. If you intend to import all utilities as a namespace object, use `import * as utils from 'utility';` and then call `utils.md5()`.

Assertion Error: Only function is allowed

Providing a non-function value (e.g., `null`, `undefined`, a string) to `utility.getParamNames()`, which strictly expects a function argument.

fix

Always pass a valid function reference to `utility.getParamNames()`, for example: `utility.getParamNames(function (a, b) {})` or `utility.getParamNames(() => {})`.

Upgrade

Version history

1.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

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Agent activity

39 hits · last 30 days

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Resources

githubhttps://github.com/node-modules/utility ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/utility ↗