Node.js FAQ: Top Questions

spawn and fork are child process methods in Node.js, differing in communication and use cases for spawning processes.

• spawn:
  • Streams stdout/stderr, no built-in IPC channel.
  • General-purpose for any command.
  • Example: Running ls .
• fork:
  • Spawns a new Node.js process with an IPC channel.
  • Specialized for Node.js scripts.
  • Example: Running a Node.js module.
• Use Case: spawn for external commands, fork for Node.js processes.