Package as a binary

This does not need Node installed and makes an executable binary file.

$ npm i pkg

$ npx dist/index.js

Then find your executable without the .js extension. Or multiple files for each OS. This can be sent to others or added as a download on your website or GitHub Releases.

Recommended config for TypeScript:

{
  "name": "my-ts-app",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "dist/index.js",
  "bin": "dist/index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "build:ts": "tsc",
    "build:pkg": "pkg dist/index.js",
    "build": "npm run build:ts && npm run build:pkg"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "typescript": "^5.0.0"
  }
}

$ npm run build

Use a symlink from the JS file to a bin directory. This requires an appropriate level of node and the project to exist (such as a Git repo).

Run a step to build your app or compile to plain JS.

Then configure like this:

{
  "bin": {
    "my-project": "dist/index.js",
  }
}

Run

$ npm link

Then you can run:

$ my-project

Bundle

Put a Node shebang at the top of your JS file. It does not have to execute permissions though.

#!/usr/bin/env node

Give a path e.g. src/index.ts.

Run this:

$ esbuild PATH --outdir=dist --bundle --platform=node

Then run as

$ dist/index.js