npm package: @stdlib/os-homedir
Description: Return the current user's home directory.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.2.3

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<details>
  <summary>
    About stdlib...
  </summary>
  <p>We believe in a future in which the web is a preferred environment for numerical computation. To help realize this future, we've built stdlib. stdlib is a standard library, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computation, written in JavaScript (and C) for execution in browsers and in Node.js.</p>
  <p>The library is fully decomposable, being architected in such a way that you can swap out and mix and match APIs and functionality to cater to your exact preferences and use cases.</p>
  <p>When you use stdlib, you can be absolutely certain that you are using the most thorough, rigorous, well-written, studied, documented, tested, measured, and high-quality code out there.</p>
  <p>To join us in bringing numerical computing to the web, get started by checking us out on <a href="https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib">GitHub</a>, and please consider <a href="https://opencollective.com/stdlib">financially supporting stdlib</a>. We greatly appreciate your continued support!</p>
</details>

# homedir

[![NPM version][npm-image]][npm-url] [![Build Status][test-image]][test-url] [![Coverage Status][coverage-image]][coverage-url] <!-- [![dependencies][dependencies-image]][dependencies-url] -->

> Return the current user's home directory.

<!-- Section to include introductory text. Make sure to keep an empty line after the intro `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="intro">

</section>

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<!-- Package usage documentation. -->

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/os-homedir
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var homedir = require( '@stdlib/os-homedir' );
```

#### homedir()

Returns the current user's `home` directory.

```javascript
var home = homedir();
// e.g., returns '/Users/<username>'
```

If unable to locate a `home` directory, the function returns `null`.

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<!-- Package usage notes. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   The implementation primarily checks various [environment variables][environment-variables] to locate a `home` directory. Note that this approach has **security vulnerabilities**, as attackers can tamper with [environment variables][environment-variables].

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<!-- Package usage examples. -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var homedir = require( '@stdlib/os-homedir' );

console.log( homedir() );
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->



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<section class="references">

</section>

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<!-- Section for related `stdlib` packages. Do not manually edit this section, as it is automatically populated. -->

<section class="related">

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/os-homedir-cli`][@stdlib/os-homedir-cli]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">CLI package for use as a command-line utility.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/os-configdir`][@stdlib/os/configdir]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return a directory for user-specific configuration files.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/os-tmpdir`][@stdlib/os/tmpdir]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the directory for storing temporary files.</span>

</section>

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<section class="main-repo" >

* * *

## Notice

This package is part of [stdlib][stdlib], a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop [stdlib][stdlib], see the main project [repository][stdlib].

#### Community

[![Chat][chat-image]][chat-url]

---

## License

See [LICENSE][stdlib-license].


## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

<!-- /.stdlib -->

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<section class="links">

[@stdlib/os-homedir-cli]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/os-homedir-cli

[npm-image]: http://img.shields.io/npm/v/@stdlib/os-homedir.svg
[npm-url]: https://npmjs.org/package/@stdlib/os-homedir

[test-image]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg?branch=v0.2.3
[test-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/actions/workflows/test.yml?query=branch:v0.2.3

[coverage-image]: https://img.shields.io/codecov/c/github/stdlib-js/os-homedir/main.svg
[coverage-url]: https://codecov.io/github/stdlib-js/os-homedir?branch=main

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[stdlib]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib

[stdlib-authors]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib/graphs/contributors

[cli-section]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir#cli
[cli-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/tree/cli
[@stdlib/os-homedir]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/tree/main

[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
[es-module]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Modules

[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/blob/deno/README.md
[umd-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/tree/umd
[umd-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/blob/umd/README.md
[esm-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/tree/esm
[esm-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/blob/esm/README.md
[branches-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/blob/main/branches.md

[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/os-homedir/main/LICENSE

[environment-variables]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_variable

<!-- <related-links> -->

[@stdlib/os/configdir]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/os-configdir

[@stdlib/os/tmpdir]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/os-tmpdir

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</section>

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