Node.js Stream.pipeline() Method

Last Updated : 28 Apr, 2025

The stream.pipeline() method is a module method that is used to the pipe by linking the streams passing on errors and accurately cleaning up and providing a callback function when the pipeline is done.

Syntax:

stream.pipeline(...streams, callback)

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

...streams: These are two or more streams that are to be piped together.
callback: This function is called when the pipeline is fully done and it shows an 'error' if the pipeline is not accomplished.

Return Value: It returns a cleanup function.

The below examples illustrate the use of the stream.pipeline() method in Node.js:

Example 1:

JavaScript

// Node.js program to demonstrate the    
// stream.pipeline() method

// Including fs and zlib module
const fs = require('fs');
const zlib = require('zlib');

// Constructing finished from stream
const { pipeline } = require('stream');

// Constructing promisify from
// util
const { promisify } = require('util');

// Defining pipelineAsync method
const pipelineAsync = promisify(pipeline);

// Constructing readable stream
const readable = fs.createReadStream("input.text");

// Constructing writable stream
const writable = fs.createWriteStream("output.text");

// Creating transform stream
const transform = zlib.createGzip();

// Async function
(async function run() {
    try {

        // pipelining three streams
        await pipelineAsync(
            readable,
            transform,
            writable
        );
        console.log("pipeline accomplished.");
    }

    // Shows error
    catch (err) {
        console.error('pipeline failed with error:', err);
    }
})();

Output:

Promise {  }
pipeline accomplished.

Example 2:

javascript

// Node.js program to demonstrate the    
// stream.pipeline() method

// Including fs and zlib module
const fs = require('fs');
const zlib = require('zlib');

// Constructing finished from stream
const { pipeline } = require('stream');

// Constructing promisify from
// util
const { promisify } = require('util');

// Defining pipelineAsync method
const pipelineAsync = promisify(pipeline);

// Constructing readable stream
const readable = fs.createReadStream("input.text");

// Constructing writable stream
const writable = fs.createWriteStream("output.text");

// Creating transform stream
const transform = zlib.createGzip();

// Async function
(async function run() {
    try {

        // pipelining three streams
        await pipelineAsync(
            readable,
            writable,
            transform
        );
        console.log("pipeline accomplished.");
    }

    // Shows error
    catch (err) {
        console.error('pipeline failed with error:', err);
    }
})();

Output: Here, the order of streams is not proper while piping so an error occurs.

Promise {  }
pipeline failed with error: Error [ERR_STREAM_CANNOT_PIPE]: Cannot pipe, not readable
    at WriteStream.Writable.pipe (_stream_writable.js:243:24)
    at pipe (internal/streams/pipeline.js:57:15)
    at Array.reduce ()
    at pipeline (internal/streams/pipeline.js:88:18)
    at Promise (internal/util.js:274:30)
    at new Promise ()
    at pipeline (internal/util.js:273:12)
    at run (/home/runner/ThirstyTimelyKey/index.js:33:11)
    at /home/runner/ThirstyTimelyKey/index.js:45:5
    at Script.runInContext (vm.js:133:20)

Reference: https://nodejs.org/api/stream.html#stream_stream_pipeline_streams_callback.