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 - Max 2081 characters on windows, or the function returns false.
• options Object (optional)
  • activate Boolean (optional) - true to bring the opened application to the foreground. The default is true. macOS
  • workingDirectory String (optional) - The working directory. Windows
• callback Function (optional) macOS - If specified will perform the open asynchronously.
  • error Error

Returns Boolean - Whether an application was available to open the URL. If callback is specified, always returns true.

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

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.