electron/docs/api/shell.md

shell

Manage files and URLs using their default applications.

Process: Main, Renderer

The shell module provides functions related to desktop integration.

An example of opening a URL in the user's default browser:

const {shell} = require('electron')

shell.openExternal('https://github.com')

Methods

The shell module has the following methods:

shell.showItemInFolder(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully shown

Show the given file in a file manager. If possible, select the file.

shell.openItem(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully opened.

Open the given file in the desktop's default manner.

shell.openExternal(url[, options, callback])

• url String
• options Object (optional) macOS
  • activate Boolean - true to bring the opened application to the foreground. The default is true.
• callback Function (optional) - If specified will perform the open asynchronously. macOS
  • opened Boolean

Returns Boolean - Whether an application was available to open the URL. If callback is specified, it will return whether it was able to initiate the open call.

Open the given external protocol URL in the desktop's default manner. (For example, mailto: URLs in the user's default mail agent).

If a callback is passed, the API call will be asynchronous and the result will be passed via callback(opened).

shell.moveItemToTrash(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully moved to the trash

Move the given file to trash and returns a boolean status for the operation.

shell.beep()

Play the beep sound.

shell.writeShortcutLink(shortcutPath[, operation], options) Windows

• shortcutPath String
• operation String (optional) - Default is create, can be one of following:
  • create - Creates a new shortcut, overwriting if necessary.
  • update - Updates specified properties only on an existing shortcut.
  • replace - Overwrites an existing shortcut, fails if the shortcut doesn't exist.
• options ShortcutDetails

Returns Boolean - Whether the shortcut was created successfully

Creates or updates a shortcut link at shortcutPath.

shell.readShortcutLink(shortcutPath) Windows

• shortcutPath String

Returns ShortcutDetails

Resolves the shortcut link at shortcutPath.

An exception will be thrown when any error happens.