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yangshun/tree-node-cli

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

285TypeScript
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TLDR

Tree Node CLI is a tool that displays the contents of a folder in a visual tree format, where files and subfolders are shown with connecting lines to indicate their nesting.

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In plain English

Tree Node CLI is a tool that displays the contents of a folder in a visual tree format, where files and subfolders are shown with connecting lines to indicate their nesting. It mimics the behavior of a built-in Linux command called tree, but works on any system with Node.js installed. You can run it directly in your terminal without installing anything, or install it globally to use it as a regular command. It works in both modes: as a command-line tool you type into a terminal, and as a programmable module you can call from your own JavaScript or TypeScript code. The command-line version has a wide range of options for controlling what gets shown. You can limit how many levels deep it goes, show hidden files, display file sizes, show when files were last modified, sort by different criteria, and exclude specific files or folders by name pattern. By default, it respects your project's gitignore file, so files like node_modules are automatically hidden. The programmable API offers two functions. The first returns the tree as a formatted text string, useful for display or logging. The second returns the same structure as a JavaScript object, which makes it easier to process the folder contents in code, for example counting files or finding specific entries. On Windows and Linux, you need to type treee with three e's instead of two to avoid a naming conflict with the operating system's own tree command. The project has no significant dependencies and the README is thorough, covering every available option with descriptions and examples.

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