Node.js util.inspect() Method

The "util" module provides 'utility' functions that are used for debugging purposes. For accessing those functions we need to call them by 'require('util')'.

The util.inspect() (Added in v0.3.0) method is an inbuilt application programming interface of the util module which is intended for debugging and returns a string representation of the object. The util.inspect() method is not programmatically dependent. It returns output that may change any time to alter the result supplementary options (like showHidden, depth) could be passed. For inspected value, it either uses the constructor name or @@toStringTag to make an identifiable tag.

Syntax:

const util = require('util');
util.inspect(object[, options])

Parameters: This function accepts two parameters as mentioned above and described below:

• object <any>: Any Class, Function, Object, or JavaScript primitive.

• options <Object>: The options are of 'object' type which accepts the JSON form of the data.

  • showHidden <boolean>: By default, the value of the object is set 'False', if it is set 'true' then it starts showing hidden non-enumerable symbols and properties along with user-defined prototype, WeakMap and WeakSet entries in the formatted result.
  • depth <number>: By default, the value of the object is set '2'. It specifies how many times to recurse and while inspecting large objects and call stack size is passed Infinity or null to recurse up to the maximum.
  • colors <boolean>: By default, the value of the object is set 'False', if it is set 'true' then output gets colored style with ANSI color codes.
  • customInspect <boolean>: By default, the value of the object is set 'true', if it is set 'false' then, [[util.inspect.custom](depth, opts)] functions are not invoked.
  • showProxy <boolean>: By default, the value of the object is set 'False', if it is set 'true' then the target and handler objects are included by the proxy inspection.
  • maxArrayLength <integer>: By default, the value of the object is set '100'. While formatting maximum length is specified, i.e. how many Arrays, WeakMaps, and WeakSets are needed to be included in the formatted result. To show (0) no elements, set the value to 0 or negative and to show all elements, set the value to Infinity or null.
  • maxStringLength <integer>:  By default, the value of the object is set 'Infinity'. While formatting the maximum length of characters is specified, i.e. length of characters to be included in the formatted result. To show ('') no characters, set the value to 0 or negative and to show all elements, set the value to Infinity or null.
  • breakLength <integer>: By default, the value of the object is set '80'. While formatting it specifies the maximum length at which input values are split across multiple lines. To format the input in a single line, set it to Infinity.
  • sorted <boolean> | <Function>: By default, the value of the object is set 'false', if it is set 'true' or a function is passed, all properties are sorted in the formatted string. Default sort is used if set to 'true' and it is used as a compare function if set to a function.
  • getters <boolean> | <string>: By default, the value of the object is set 'false', if it is set to 'true' then getters will be inspected. If it is set to 'get' then only getters will be inspected. If it is set to 'set' then only getters with a corresponding setter will be inspected. This risk of side effects is high depending on the getter function.

Return Value: <string>: Returns the formatted string which represents the object.

Example 1: Filename: index.js

Run index.js file using the following command:

node index.js

Output:

1.> <ref *1> {
 a: [ [Circular *1] ],
 b: <ref *2> { inner: [Circular *2], obj: [Circular *1] }
}
2.> geeksForGeeks {}
3.> { a: [Array], b: [Object] }
4.> { a: [Array], b: [Object] }
5.> { a: [Array], b: [Object] }
6.> <ref *1> {
 a: [ [Circular *1] ],
 b: <ref *2> { inner: [Circular *2], obj: [Circular *1] }
} { colorize: true }
7.> [
 { name: 'Amit', city: 'Ayodhya' },
 { name: 'Satyam', city: 'Lucknow' },
 { name: 'Sahai', city: 'Lucknow' }
]
8.> <ref *1> {
 a: [ [Circular *1] ],
 b: <ref *2> { inner: [Circular *2], obj: [Circular *1] }
} { depth: 0 }

Example 2: Filename: index.js

Run index.js file using the following command:

node index.js

Output:

1.> { _connectionListener: [Function: connectionListener], .... globalAgent: [Getter/Setter]} 2.> { log: [Function: bound consoleCall], .....[Symbol(kFormatForStderr)]: [Function: bound ]} 3.> [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, .........1, 1, 1, 1, 1, ... 8 more items] 4.> [ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, ....1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1] 5.> { amit: [ 1, 2, [ [ 'alfa_romeo, spp___, sahai_harshit Annapurna, chai paratha.', 'chota', 'bong' ] ], 55 ], vikas: Map(2) { 'alfa' => 1, 'romeo' => 'data' } } 6.> returns the output more reader friendly. 7.> WeakSet { { alfa: 10 }, { beta: 20 } } 8.> { alfaa: 'romeo' }

The util.format(format[, ...])method alsogives the same result along with formatted string using the first argument as a printf-like format.

Reference: https://nodejs.org/api/util.html#util_util_inspect_object_options