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fork - node__child_process.d.ts - Node documentation
function fork

Usage in Deno

```typescript import { fork } from "node:node__child_process.d.ts"; ```
fork(
modulePath: string | URL,
options?: ForkOptions,
): ChildProcess
The `child_process.fork()` method is a special case of [spawn](../.././node__child_process.d.ts/~/spawn) used specifically to spawn new Node.js processes. Like [spawn](../.././node__child_process.d.ts/~/spawn), a `ChildProcess` object is returned. The returned `ChildProcess` will have an additional communication channel built-in that allows messages to be passed back and forth between the parent and child. See `subprocess.send()` for details. Keep in mind that spawned Node.js child processes are independent of the parent with exception of the IPC communication channel that is established between the two. Each process has its own memory, with their own V8 instances. Because of the additional resource allocations required, spawning a large number of child Node.js processes is not recommended. By default, `child_process.fork()` will spawn new Node.js instances using the `process.execPath` of the parent process. The `execPath` property in the `options` object allows for an alternative execution path to be used. Node.js processes launched with a custom `execPath` will communicate with the parent process using the file descriptor (fd) identified using the environment variable `NODE_CHANNEL_FD` on the child process. Unlike the [`fork(2)`](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/fork.2.html) POSIX system call, `child_process.fork()` does not clone the current process. The `shell` option available in [spawn](../.././node__child_process.d.ts/~/spawn) is not supported by `child_process.fork()` and will be ignored if set. If the `signal` option is enabled, calling `.abort()` on the corresponding `AbortController` is similar to calling `.kill()` on the child process except the error passed to the callback will be an `AbortError`: ```js if (process.argv[2] === 'child') { setTimeout(() => { console.log(`Hello from ${process.argv[2]}!`); }, 1_000); } else { import { fork } from 'node:child_process'; const controller = new AbortController(); const { signal } = controller; const child = fork(__filename, ['child'], { signal }); child.on('error', (err) => { // This will be called with err being an AbortError if the controller aborts }); controller.abort(); // Stops the child process } ```

Parameters

modulePath: string | URL
The module to run in the child.
optional
options: ForkOptions

Return Type

fork(
modulePath: string | URL,
args?: readonly string[],
options?: ForkOptions,
): ChildProcess

Parameters

modulePath: string | URL
optional
args: readonly string[]
optional
options: ForkOptions

Return Type