Allow scripts to be run without a file extension

[engina]

Feature request

A command line parameter to tsx to force extension.

Why?

It's slower to type the script name with the extension, especially because . character is in an inconvenient place.

./script.mts

Or if it's in your path

script.mts

Alternatives

Enfore extension in the shebang

#!/usr/bin/env -S tsx --type=mts

Additional context

And when you add the script to the PATH it will be just another tool in your work environment.

[privatenumber]

Sorry I don't understand the request.

Can you elaborate on your use-case?

[engina]

What I meant was:

> cat test.mts 
#!/usr/bin/env tsx
console.log('hello');
> ./test.mts
hello
> cp test.mts test
> chmod u+x test
> ./test
TypeError [ERR_UNKNOWN_FILE_EXTENSION]: Unknown file extension "" for /Users/engin/code/cliui/test
    at __node_internal_captureLargerStackTrace (node:internal/errors:464:5)
    at new NodeError (node:internal/errors:371:5)
    at Object.getFileProtocolModuleFormat [as file:] (node:internal/modules/esm/get_format:87:11)
    at defaultGetFormat (node:internal/modules/esm/get_format:102:38)
    at defaultLoad (node:internal/modules/esm/load:21:14)
    at x (file:///Users/engin/.local/share/nvm/v16.14.0/lib/node_modules/tsx/node_modules/@esbuild-kit/esm-loader/dist/index.js:1:2902)
    at ESMLoader.load (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:359:26)
    at ESMLoader.moduleProvider (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:280:58)
    at new ModuleJob (node:internal/modules/esm/module_job:66:26)
    at ESMLoader.#createModuleJob (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:297:17)
    at ESMLoader.getModuleJob (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:261:34)
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async ESMLoader.import (node:internal/modules/esm/loader:337:24)
    at async loadESM (node:internal/process/esm_loader:88:5)
    at async handleMainPromise (node:internal/modules/run_main:61:12) {
  code: 'ERR_UNKNOWN_FILE_EXTENSION'
}

[privatenumber]

Sorry, I'm not interested in this enhancement.

Explicit extensions are enforced by Node.js as a part of ESM.

You can file the request with Node.js or add your own custom Node.js loader though.

[tonyxiao]

#!/usr/bin/env -S tsx --type=mts

@engina is this actually working? Or is it your proposed solution? I'm getting an error bin/node: bad option: --type=mts when I add it.

[engina]

#!/usr/bin/env -S tsx --type=mts

@engina is this actually working? Or is it your proposed solution? I'm getting an error bin/node: bad option: --type=mts when I add it.

It was my proposed solution. It won't work for you.

I ended up doing a Makefile and a shell alias.

# Makefile
dist/ecm.js: $(shell find apps/ecm/src/ -type f)
	esbuild apps/ecm/src/main.ts --platform=node --bundle --minify --outfile=dist/ecm.js

alias ecm='make -s dist/ecm.js; node dist/ecm.js

This compiles the ts command line utility if source codes are changed. If not , just runs the already compiled version.

Even in the "cold boot" where it compiles and runs the tool, it does it faster than tsx.

tsx apps/ecm/src/main.ts takes 1.44 secs.

Method	Time (sec.)
tsx cold	2.76
tsx warm	1.44
makefile cold	0.8
makefile warm	0.3

[privatenumber]

Related: nodejs/node#34049

Hope they find a Node.js solution to this.

[ulken]

Related: nodejs/node#34049

Hope they find a Node.js solution to this.

Are we there yet? nodejs/node#34049 (comment)

[privatenumber]

Since it's implemented in Node.js, I imagine tsx would get it for free

Have you tried Node v21.1.0 or v21.0.0?

Feel free to open a new bug report if it doesn't

[ulken]

I haven't. Missed the part about holding off on back-porting to 20.X.

I'll give it a try and report back.

[ulken]

Sorry, I was a little quick reading the issue description here. My use case is not for scripts. It's for running AVA without transpiling TS to JS first. Works fine in 18, but not in 20 (new LTS). Oh, well, sorry for the interruption.