shell

@tauri-apps/api / shell

Module: shell

Access the system shell. Allows you to spawn child processes and manage files and URLs using their default application.

This package is also accessible with window.__TAURI__.shell when build.withGlobalTauri in tauri.conf.json is set to true.

The APIs must be added to tauri.allowlist.shell in tauri.conf.json:

{
  "tauri": {
    "allowlist": {
      "shell": {
        "all": true, // enable all shell APIs
        "execute": true, // enable process spawn APIs
        "sidecar": true, // enable spawning sidecars
        "open": true // enable opening files/URLs using the default program
      }
    }
  }
}

It is recommended to allowlist only the APIs you use for optimal bundle size and security.

Security

This API has a scope configuration that forces you to restrict the programs and arguments that can be used.

Restricting access to the open API

On the allowlist, open: true means that the open API can be used with any URL, as the argument is validated with the ^https?:// regex. You can change that regex by changing the boolean value to a string, e.g. open: ^https://github.com/.

Restricting access to the Command APIs

The shell allowlist object has a scope field that defines an array of CLIs that can be used. Each CLI is a configuration object { name: string, cmd: string, sidecar?: bool, args?: boolean | Arg[] }.

• name: the unique identifier of the command, passed to the Command constructor. If it's a sidecar, this must be the value defined on tauri.conf.json > tauri > bundle > externalBin.
• cmd: the program that is executed on this configuration. If it's a sidecar, this value is ignored.
• sidecar: whether the object configures a sidecar or a system program.
• args: the arguments that can be passed to the program. By default no arguments are allowed.
  • true means that any argument list is allowed.
  • false means that no arguments are allowed.
  • otherwise an array can be configured. Each item is either a string representing the fixed argument value or a { validator: string } that defines a regex validating the argument value.

Example scope configuration

CLI: git commit -m "the commit message"

Configuration:

{
  "scope": {
    "name": "run-git-commit",
    "cmd": "git",
    "args": ["commit", "-m", { "validator": "\\S+" }]
  }
}

Usage:

import { Command } from '@tauri-apps/api/shell'
new Command('run-git-commit', ['commit', '-m', 'the commit message'])

Trying to execute any API with a program not configured on the scope results in a promise rejection due to denied access.

Classes

• Child
• Command
• EventEmitter

Interfaces

• ChildProcess
• SpawnOptions

Functions

open

open(path, openWith?): Promise<void>

Opens a path or URL with the system's default app, or the one specified with openWith.

The openWith value must be one of firefox, google chrome, chromium safari, open, start, xdg-open, gio, gnome-open, kde-open or wslview.

Example

import { open } from '@tauri-apps/api/shell';
// opens the given URL on the default browser:
await open('https://github.com/tauri-apps/tauri');
// opens the given URL using `firefox`:
await open('https://github.com/tauri-apps/tauri', 'firefox');
// opens a file using the default program:
await open('/path/to/file');

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
path	string	The path or URL to open. This value is matched against the string regex defined on tauri.conf.json > tauri > allowlist > shell > open, which defaults to ^https?://.
openWith?	string	The app to open the file or URL with. Defaults to the system default application for the specified path type.

Returns

Promise<void>