7zip-min

Minimal cross-platform pack/unpack (and any command) with 7-zip for Node.js.
It does not require 7zip to be installed on your system. This package includes a standalone 7za version of 7-Zip (uses precompiled binaries from 7zip-bin package).

Features

• Includes precompiled 7za binaries from 7zip-bin
• Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Works with Electron apps
• Full TypeScript type definitions included
• Supports Promises and callbacks
• Supports Node.js v10+

Quick Start

npm install 7zip-min

import _7z from '7zip-min';

// Create an archive
await _7z.pack('myFolder', 'archive.7z');

// Extract an archive
await _7z.unpack('archive.7z', 'outputFolder');

// List archive contents
const files = await _7z.list('archive.7z');
console.log(files);

💡 Tip: You can also extract specific files with unpackSome() or run custom 7z commands with cmd(). See the API Methods section for details.

Table of Contents

• Supported Archive Formats
• Supported Platforms
• Import
• API Methods
• Configuration
• Examples
• Electron Usage
• Error Handling

Supported Archive Formats

According to the 7-Zip documentation, 7za supports:

7z · lzma · cab · zip · gzip · bzip2 · Z · tar

Supported Platforms

Node.js: v10 and above
Electron: Supported (see Electron usage below)

For more platform details, see the 7zip-bin repository.

Import

// ES6 Module syntax
import _7z from '7zip-min';

// Named imports also supported
import { unpack, pack, list, cmd, config, getConfig } from '7zip-min';

// or use CommonJS syntax, if you prefer
const _7z = require('7zip-min');

API Methods

All methods return a Promise and also support standard Node.js callbacks as the last argument. The Promise resolves with the standard output (stdout) of the 7z command (except list() which returns an array of objects).

pack(pathToSrc, pathToArch, [callback])

Creates an archive from a file or directory.

Parameters:

• pathToSrc (string): Path to file or directory to compress
• pathToArch (string): Path to archive to create
• callback (function, optional): Node.js callback function

Returns: Promise<string> - stdout of 7z command

await _7z.pack('path/to/dir', 'archive.7z');
await _7z.pack('path/to/file.txt', 'backup.zip');

unpack(pathToArch, [destPath], [callback])

Extracts an archive to a destination directory.

Parameters:

• pathToArch (string): Path to archive file
• destPath (string, optional): Where to extract files (defaults to current directory)
• callback (function, optional): Node.js callback function

Returns: Promise<string> - stdout of 7z command

// Unpack to specific directory
await _7z.unpack('archive.7z', 'output/folder');

// Unpack to current directory
await _7z.unpack('archive.zip');

unpackSome(pathToArch, filesToUnpack, [destPath], [callback])

Extracts specific files or directories from an archive.

Parameters:

• pathToArch (string): Path to archive file
• filesToUnpack (string[]): Array of file/directory names or patterns to extract
• destPath (string, optional): Where to extract files (defaults to current directory)
• callback (function, optional): Node.js callback function

Returns: Promise<string> - stdout of 7z command

// Extract specific files to a directory
await _7z.unpackSome('archive.7z', ['file1.txt', 'dir1'], 'output');

// Extract with pattern to current directory
await _7z.unpackSome('archive.7z', ['*.txt']);

list(pathToArch, [callback])

Lists contents of an archive.

Parameters:

• pathToArch (string): Path to archive file
• callback (function, optional): Node.js callback function

Returns: Promise<ListItem[]> - Array of items in the archive

Each ListItem object has the following properties:

• name (string): [guaranteed] File/directory path (always present)
• size (string, optional): Uncompressed size
• compressed (string, optional): Compressed size
• date (string, optional): Modified date
• time (string, optional): Modified time
• attr (string, optional): File attributes
• crc (string, optional): CRC checksum
• method (string, optional): Compression method
• encrypted (string, optional): Encryption status

Note: Only the name property is guaranteed to be present. Other properties depend on the archive format and 7z output.

const items = await _7z.list('archive.7z');
items.forEach(item => {
  console.log(`${item.name}${item.size ? ` - ${item.size} bytes` : ''}`);
});

cmd(paramsArr, [callback])

Runs any 7z command with custom parameters. This is a low-level method that gives you full control over 7z and returns the raw command output.

Parameters:

• paramsArr (string[]): Array of command-line arguments for 7z
• callback (function, optional): Node.js callback function

Returns: Promise<string> - stdout of 7z command (raw output that you can parse or process)

// Custom compression with ultra settings
const output = await _7z.cmd(['a', '-mx=9', 'ultra.7z', 'folder']);
console.log(output); // Raw 7z output

// Test archive integrity and get detailed report
const testResult = await _7z.cmd(['t', 'archive.7z']);
if (testResult.includes('Everything is Ok')) {
  console.log('Archive is valid');
}

// Extract with password
await _7z.cmd(['x', 'protected.7z', '-pMyPassword', '-ooutput']);

Configuration

getConfig()

Returns the current configuration settings.

Returns: ConfigSettings object with:

• binaryPath (string): Current path to 7za binary

const config = _7z.getConfig();
console.log(`Using 7za binary at: ${config.binaryPath}`);

config(settings)

Updates configuration settings.

Parameters:

• settings (object): Configuration object
  • binaryPath (string, optional): Custom path to 7za binary

// Use a custom 7za binary
_7z.config({
  binaryPath: '/custom/path/to/7za'
});

Custom Binary Path

Sometimes you may want to use a custom path to the 7za binary. Common use cases include:

• Electron apps: When bundling with a custom location
• Custom builds: Using a specific version of 7za
• Non-standard installations: When 7za is installed in a custom location

Use the getConfig() and config() methods shown above to get or set the binary path. For more details, see #106.

Examples

Handling Output

Capture the standard output from the 7z command for logging or analysis:

const stdout = await _7z.pack('myFolder', 'archive.7z'); 
console.log(stdout); // Prints 7z command output

Alternative Syntax

All methods are compatible with standard Node.js callbacks and .then() chains:

Callback style:

_7z.unpack('archive.7z', 'output', (err, output) => {
  if (err) return console.error(err);
  console.log('Unpacked!', output);
});

Promise style:

_7z.list('archive.7z')
  .then(list => console.log(list))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Electron Usage

This package works with Electron. The package automatically detects when running inside an Electron app and adjusts the binary path from app.asar to app.asar.unpacked.

When using electron-builder, you need to ensure the 7za binaries are unpacked from the .asar archive using the asarUnpack option:

{
  "build": {
    "asarUnpack": [
      "node_modules/7zip-bin/**/*"
    ]
  }
}

Alternatively, you can set a custom binary path if you prefer to bundle the binary differently:

_7z.config({
  binaryPath: '/custom/path/to/7za'
});

Error Handling

All methods throw errors (or pass them to callbacks) when operations fail. The error object is an extended Error with additional properties:

• message: Error message
• stderr: Standard error output from 7z
• stdout: Standard output from 7z (if any)
• code: Exit code from 7z process

try {
  await _7z.unpack('nonexistent.7z');
} catch (err) {
  console.error('Error message:', err.message);
  console.log('Exit code', err.code);
  console.error('Standard error:', err.stderr);
  console.error('Standard output:', err.stdout);
}

See Also

• 7zip-bin - Precompiled 7za binaries
• 7-Zip - Official 7-Zip website
• Command Line Version User's Guide - 7z command-line documentation