# Node.js API

The Stylelint module includes a `lint()` function that provides the Node.js API.

```js
stylelint.lint(options).then(function (resultObject) {
  /* .. */
});
```

## Options

In addition to the [standard options](options.md), the Node API accepts:

### `config`

A [configuration object](../configure.md).

Stylelint does not bother looking for a `.stylelintrc` file if you use this option.

### `code`

A string to lint.

### `cwd`

The directory from which Stylelint will look for files. Defaults to the current working directory returned by `process.cwd()`.

### `files`

A file glob, or array of [file globs](https://github.com/sindresorhus/globby).

Relative globs are considered relative to `globbyOptions.cwd`.

Though both `files` and `code` are "optional", you _must_ have one and _cannot_ have both.

### `globbyOptions`

The options that are passed with `files`.

For example, you can set a specific `cwd` to use when globbing paths. Relative globs in `files` are considered relative to this path. By default, `globbyOptions.cwd` will be set by `cwd`.

For more detail usage, see [Globby Guide](https://github.com/sindresorhus/globby#options).

## The returned promise

`stylelint.lint()` returns a Promise that resolves with an object containing the following properties:

### `cwd`

The directory used as the working directory for the linting operation.

### `errored`

Boolean. If `true`, at least one rule with an "error"-level severity registered a problem.

### `output`

A string that contains either the:

- formatted problems (using the default formatter or whichever you passed)
- or the autofixed code, if the `fix` option is set to `true`

### `postcssResults`

An array containing all the accumulated [PostCSS LazyResults](https://api.postcss.org/LazyResult.html).

### `results`

An array containing all the Stylelint result objects (the objects that formatters consume).

### `maxWarningsExceeded`

An object containing the maximum number of warnings and the amount found, e.g. `{ maxWarnings: 0, foundWarnings: 12 }`.

## Syntax errors

`stylelint.lint()` does not reject the Promise when your CSS contains syntax errors.
It resolves with an object (see [The returned promise](#the-returned-promise)) that contains information about the syntax error.

## Usage examples

### Example A

As `config` contains no relative paths for `extends` or `plugins`, you do not have to use `configBasedir`:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    config: { rules: "color-no-invalid-hex" },
    files: "all/my/stylesheets/*.css"
  })
  .then(function (data) {
    // do things with data.output, data.errored,
    // and data.results
  })
  .catch(function (err) {
    // do things with err e.g.
    console.error(err.stack);
  });
```

### Example B

If `myConfig` _does_ contain relative paths for `extends` or `plugins`, you _do_ have to use `configBasedir`:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    config: myConfig,
    configBasedir: path.join(__dirname, "configs"),
    files: "all/my/stylesheets/*.css"
  })
  .then(function () {
    /* .. */
  });
```

### Example C

Using a string instead of a file glob, and the verbose formatter instead of the default JSON:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    code: "a { color: pink; }",
    config: myConfig,
    formatter: "verbose"
  })
  .then(function () {
    /* .. */
  });
```

### Example D

Using your own custom formatter function and parse `.scss` source files:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    config: myConfig,
    files: "all/my/stylesheets/*.scss",
    formatter: function (stylelintResults) {
      /* .. */
    }
  })
  .then(function () {
    /* .. */
  });
```

### Example E

Using a custom syntax:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    config: myConfig,
    files: "all/my/stylesheets/*.css",
    customSyntax: {
      parse: (css, opts) => {
        /* .. */
      },
      stringify: (root, builder) => {
        /* .. */
      }
    }
  })
  .then(function () {
    /* .. */
  });
```

Note that the customSyntax option also accepts a string. [Refer to the options documentation for details](./options.md#customsyntax).

### Example F

Using a string and the `fix` option:

```js
stylelint
  .lint({
    code: "a { color: pink; }",
    config: { rules: { "hue-degree-notation": "angle" } },
    fix: true
  })
  .then(function () {
    /* .. */
  });
```

The autofixed code will be available as the value of the `output` property in the returned object.

## Resolving the effective config for a file

If you want to find out what exact configuration will be used for a file without actually linting it, you can use the `resolveConfig()` function. Given a file path, it will return a Promise that resolves with the effective configuration object:

```js
const config = await stylelint.resolveConfig(filePath);

// config => {
//   rules: {
//     'color-no-invalid-hex': true
//   },
//   extends: [
//     'stylelint-config-standard',
//     'stylelint-config-css-modules'
//   ],
//   plugins: [
//     'stylelint-scss'
//   ],
//   …
// }
```

If a configuration cannot be found for a file, `resolveConfig()` will return a Promise that resolves to `undefined`.

You can also pass the following subset of the [options that you would normally pass to `lint()`](#options):

- `cwd`
- `config`
- `configBasedir`
- `customSyntax`
