Node.js stats.dev Property

The stats.dev property is an inbuilt application programming interface of the fs.Stats class is used to get the numeric (number / bigint) identity of the device in which the file is situated.

Syntax:

stats.dev;

Parameters: This property does not accept any parameter.

Return Value: It returns a number or BigInt value which represents the identity of the device in which the file is situated.

Below examples illustrate the use of stats.dev property in Node.js:

Example 1:

// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// stats.dev Property

// Accessing fs module
const fs = require('fs');

// Calling fs.Stats stats.dev
// using stat for file
fs.stat('./filename.txt', (err, stats) => {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log("using stat: the numeric "
        + "identity of the device is  "
        + stats.dev);
});

//using lstat for file
fs.lstat('./filename.txt', (err, stats) => {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log("using lstat: the numeric "
        + "identity of the device is  "
        + stats.dev);
});
//using stat for directory
fs.stat('./', (err, stats) => {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log("using stat: the numeric "
        + "identity of the device is  "
        + stats.dev);
});

//using lstat for directory
fs.lstat('./', (err, stats) => {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log("using lstat: the numeric "
        + "identity of the device is  "
        + stats.dev);
});

Output:

using stat: the numeric identity of the device is  891323748
using lstat: the numeric identity of the device is  891323748
using stat: the numeric identity of the device is  891323748
using lstat: the numeric identity of the device is  891323748

Example 2:

// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// stats.dev Property

// Accessing fs module
const fs = require('fs').promises;

// Calling stats.dev property from
// fs.Stats class
(async () => {
    const stats = await fs.stat(
            './fs_stat_dev.txt');

    //using stat synchronous
    console.log("The numeric identity "
        + "of the device is  " + stats.dev);
})().catch(console.error)

Output:

The numeric identity of the device is  891323748

Note: The above program will compile and run by using the node filename.js command and use the file_path correctly.

Reference: https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_stats_dev