Save a file from the web to a local directory of a node js express server

Question

There is a file that is offloaded on to a website that now I may need to download back to our own website. It is available as http://www.example.com/uploads/file.xyz.

If you entered the URL in the browser, the download dialog would appear. What I need to do is download that file programmatically using node js (and express) to a folder in my node js express server.

I've seen plenty of examples of using res.download() method but that is not the same. I believe it launches a download dialog. I need to save the file to a directory I choose programmatically, without a dialog.

@Konrad yes that seems to be it – 1.21 gigawatts Mar 26 '23 at 16:44 — 1.21 gigawatts, Mar 26 '23 at 16:44

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 26 '23 at 17:05

you can download files with writable stream.

Here is an example

import fs from "fs";
import https from "https";

const fileUrl = "https://filesamples.com/samples/document/doc/sample2.doc";

const file = fs.createWriteStream(process.cwd() + "/saved-file.doc");

const request = https.get(fileUrl, (response) => {
  response.pipe(file);
});

request.on("error", (err: Error) => {
  console.error(err);
});

file.on("finish", () => {
  console.log(`File downloaded`);
});

file.on("error", (err: Error) => {
  console.error(`Error while downloading file: ${err.message}`);
});

Thank you. Is there anyway to do this with await? – 1.21 gigawatts Mar 28 '23 at 02:43 — 1.21 gigawatts, Mar 28 '23 at 02:43

Save a file from the web to a local directory of a node js express server

1 Answers1