__dirname, __filename, require, and process — a practical guide to Node.js __dirname process with clear examples you can reuse in real projects.
__dirname, __filename, require, and process — 20/55 in the Node.js series. Full playlist companion: Node.js complete course on YouTube. Prefer one article? Read the complete Node.js tutorial.
Short description
In CommonJS, `__dirname` and `__filename` give the current file path. `require` loads modules. `process` exposes env vars, args, and exit controls.
Globals demo
const path = require('path');
console.log(__dirname);
console.log(__filename);
console.log(process.argv);
console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV);
console.log(path.join(__dirname, 'data', 'file.txt'));