Creating and removing directories in Node.js - Practice Exercises

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of directory creation with recursive option

What will be the output of this Node.js code snippet when creating nested directories?

Node.js

import { mkdirSync } from 'node:fs';

try {
  mkdirSync('parent/child/grandchild', { recursive: true });
  console.log('Directories created');
} catch (error) {
  console.log('Error:', error.message);
}

A No output

B Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, mkdir 'parent/child/grandchild'

C Directories created

D Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'parent/child/grandchild'

💡 Hint

The recursive option allows creating nested directories even if parent folders don't exist.

Using mkdirSync with { recursive: true } creates all missing parent directories. So the nested path is created successfully and the message 'Directories created' is logged.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Behavior of rmdirSync on non-empty directory

What happens when this Node.js code tries to remove a non-empty directory?

Node.js

import { rmdirSync } from 'node:fs';

try {
  rmdirSync('myFolder');
  console.log('Directory removed');
} catch (error) {
  console.log(error.code);
}

A Directory removed

B EACCES

C ENOENT

D ENOTEMPTY

💡 Hint

rmdirSync cannot remove directories that contain files or folders unless recursive option is used.

rmdirSync throws an error with code 'ENOTEMPTY' if the directory is not empty and recursive option is not set.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Correct syntax for recursive directory removal

Which option correctly removes a directory and all its contents recursively in Node.js?

A rmdirSync('folder', { recursive: true });

B rmdirSync('folder', true);

C rmdirSync('folder', { force: true });

D rmdirSync('folder', { deep: true });

💡 Hint

The recursive option is an object property, not a boolean argument or other name.

The correct syntax uses an options object with recursive:true to remove directories with contents.

❓ component_behavior

advanced

Effect of mkdirSync without recursive on nested path

What happens when mkdirSync is called without recursive on a nested path where parent folders don't exist?

Node.js

import { mkdirSync } from 'node:fs';

try {
  mkdirSync('a/b/c');
  console.log('Created');
} catch (error) {
  console.log(error.code);
}

A ENOENT

B EEXIST

C Created

D EPERM

💡 Hint

Without recursive:true, mkdirSync cannot create nested directories if parents are missing.

The error code ENOENT means a parent directory does not exist, so mkdirSync fails without recursive.

🔧 Debug

expert

Why does this directory removal code fail?

Given this code snippet, why does it throw an error when trying to remove 'tempDir'?

Node.js

import { rmdirSync } from 'node:fs';

rmdirSync('tempDir');

A tempDir path is incorrect, causing ENOENT error

B tempDir contains files or subdirectories, so rmdirSync fails without recursive:true

C rmdirSync requires a callback function, so this call is invalid

D rmdirSync cannot remove directories on Windows

💡 Hint

Check if the directory is empty before removing without recursive option.

rmdirSync throws an error if the directory is not empty and recursive:true is not specified.