npm package: @stdlib/utils-open-url
Description: Open a URL.
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>

# Open URL

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

> Open a URL.

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/utils-open-url
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var openURL = require( '@stdlib/utils-open-url' );
```

#### openURL( url )

Opens a URL in a user's default browser.

<!-- run-disable -->

```javascript
var proc = openURL( 'https://google.com' );
```

The returned child process is unreferenced, and, thus, the calling process will not wait for the child process to end before exiting. To try and end the child process, send an appropriate `kill` signal.

<!-- run-disable -->

<!-- eslint-disable stdlib/no-redeclare -->

```javascript
var proc = openURL( 'https://google.com' );

function close() {
    proc.kill( 'SIGINT' );
}

setTimeout( close, 1000 );
```

### Web Browser

In a web browser, `openURL` defers to the [`window.open()`][window-open] method.

#### openURL( url )

Opens a URL either in a new tab or window (based on the web browser and/or user preferences), returning a reference to a `window` object.

<!-- run-disable -->

```javascript
var win = openURL( 'https://google.com' );
```

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- run-disable -->

<!-- eslint-disable stdlib/no-redeclare -->

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

```javascript
var openURL = require( '@stdlib/utils-open-url' );

// Open a URL:
var proc = openURL( 'https://github.com' );

// After some time, kill the spawned process...
function close() {
    proc.kill( 'SIGINT' );
}

setTimeout( close, 5000 );
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->



<!-- 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/utils-open-url-cli`][@stdlib/utils-open-url-cli]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">CLI package for use as a command-line utility.</span>


</section>

<!-- /.related -->

<!-- Section for all links. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->


<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 -->

<!-- Section for all links. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="links">

[@stdlib/utils-open-url-cli]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/utils-open-url-cli

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

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

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

<!--

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-->

[chat-image]: https://img.shields.io/badge/zulip-join_chat-brightgreen.svg
[chat-url]: https://stdlib.zulipchat.com

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

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

[cli-section]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url#cli
[cli-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/tree/cli
[@stdlib/utils-open-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/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/utils-open-url/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/blob/deno/README.md
[umd-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/tree/umd
[umd-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/blob/umd/README.md
[esm-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/tree/esm
[esm-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/blob/esm/README.md
[branches-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/blob/main/branches.md

[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/utils-open-url/main/LICENSE

[window-open]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/open

</section>

<!-- /.links -->