1 # get-stream [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/sindresorhus/get-stream.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/sindresorhus/get-stream)
3 > Get a stream as a string, buffer, or array
9 $ npm install --save get-stream
16 const fs = require('fs');
17 const getStream = require('get-stream');
18 const stream = fs.createReadStream('unicorn.txt');
20 getStream(stream).then(str => {
25 \|/ -\(((((''''((((((((.
26 -*-==//////(('' . `)))))),
27 /|\ ))| o ;-. '((((( ,(,
28 ( `| / ) ;))))' ,_))^;(~
29 | | | ,))((((_ _____------~~~-. %,;(;(>';'~
30 o_); ; )))(((` ~---~ `:: \ %%~~)(v;(`('~
31 ; ''''```` `: `:::|\,__,%% );`'; ~
34 /~;;.____/;;' / ___--,-( `;;;/
35 / // _;______;'------~~~~~ /;;/\ /
49 The methods returns a promise that is resolved when the `end` event fires on the stream, indicating that there is no more data to be read. The stream is switched to flowing mode.
51 ### getStream(stream, [options])
53 Get the `stream` as a string.
62 [Encoding](https://nodejs.org/api/buffer.html#buffer_buffer) of the incoming stream.
69 Maximum length of the returned string. If it exceeds this value before the stream ends, the promise will be rejected.
71 ### getStream.buffer(stream, [options])
73 Get the `stream` as a buffer.
75 It honors the `maxBuffer` option as above, but it refers to byte length rather than string length.
77 ### getStream.array(stream, [options])
79 Get the `stream` as an array of values.
81 It honors both the `maxBuffer` and `encoding` options. The behavior changes slightly based on the encoding chosen:
83 - When `encoding` is unset, it assumes an [object mode stream](https://nodesource.com/blog/understanding-object-streams/) and collects values emitted from `stream` unmodified. In this case `maxBuffer` refers to the number of items in the array (not the sum of their sizes).
85 - When `encoding` is set to `buffer`, it collects an array of buffers. `maxBuffer` refers to the summed byte lengths of every buffer in the array.
87 - When `encoding` is set to anything else, it collects an array of strings. `maxBuffer` refers to the summed character lengths of every string in the array.
92 If the input stream emits an `error` event, the promise will be rejected with the error. The buffered data will be attached to the `bufferedData` property of the error.
95 getStream(streamThatErrorsAtTheEnd('unicorn'))
96 .catch(err => console.log(err.bufferedData));
103 ### How is this different from [`concat-stream`](https://github.com/maxogden/concat-stream)?
105 This module accepts a stream instead of being one and returns a promise instead of using a callback. The API is simpler and it only supports returning a string, buffer, or array. It doesn't have a fragile type inference. You explicitly choose what you want. And it doesn't depend on the huge `readable-stream` package.
110 - [get-stdin](https://github.com/sindresorhus/get-stdin) - Get stdin as a string or buffer
115 MIT © [Sindre Sorhus](https://sindresorhus.com)