Installation

Use Node ^22.22.2 || ^24.15.0 || >=26.0.0 and npm >=12.0.2. Dockline's packages are ESM and include declarations. There is no separate CommonJS build or browser transport.

Install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core plus the client for the protocols your application uses. Core alone installs shared infrastructure through @jalsoedesign/dockline-abstract, but neither transport client. The package guide explains the boundaries.

Install from npm

Choose the packages needed by your application. Install them from the public npm registry using their @jalsoedesign/dockline- package names.

Application	Command
Core only	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core
FTP/FTPS	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client
SFTP	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
Both	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
Direct FTP	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client
Direct SFTP	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
Shared tools only	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-abstract
CLI for FTP/FTPS	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client
CLI for SFTP	npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client

@jalsoedesign/dockline-abstract is an ordinary dependency of core and both clients. Core lists the protocol clients as optional peers, so npm does not install either merely because core is installed. There is no Dockline auto-installer.

Global CLI

npm i -g @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
dockline --help

Omit an unused client. For a local project dependency, use npm i @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli with the selected client and run npm exec -- dockline. Install clients globally alongside a global CLI, or locally alongside a local CLI.

Installation examples

Npm resolves shared dependencies automatically. Install the CLI or core alongside the protocol clients you need.

CLI with a protocol client

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client

This provides the dockline command with FTP/FTPS. For SFTP, replace @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client with @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client. Install both clients when needed. From a local npm installation run npm exec -- dockline --help; see the CLI quick start for a YAML connection and real file commands. The CLI does not install a missing client automatically.

Core only

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core

This gives you the SDK, shared types, errors and tools. Creating a connection for an absent protocol client throws MissingClientPackageError; core does not download a transport automatically.

FTP and FTPS

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client

Continue with Quick start FTP. This combination does not install the SFTP client or SSH transport stack.

SFTP

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client

Continue with Quick start SFTP. This combination does not install the FTP client or basic-ftp.

Both protocol clients

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-core @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client

The same Dockline API now supports FTP, FTPS and SFTP. Core selects the installed client from the configuration's protocol.

A direct client without core

npm install @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client

The client's createConnector() accepts common configuration while returning its concrete adapter:

import {createConnector} from '@jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client';

const connector = createConnector({
    protocol: 'ftps',
    host: 'ftp.example.com',
    username: 'deploy',
    password: process.env.FTP_PASSWORD,
    root: '/uploads',
});

try {
    await connector.connect();

    for await (const entry of connector.list('.', {deep: false})) {
        console.log(entry.path, entry.type);
    }
} finally {
    await connector.disconnect();
}

Install and import from @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client for the equivalent SSH adapter; configure host trust explicitly. Direct clients expose FtpConnector or SftpConnector as well as their factory. They do not include core's local uploadFile()/downloadFile() convenience wrapper. See FTP and SFTP for low-level configuration and methods.

TypeScript and JavaScript

import {Dockline, type TransferConfig} from '@jalsoedesign/dockline-core';
import {ConnectorPool} from '@jalsoedesign/dockline-abstract';
import {FtpConnector} from '@jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client';
import {SftpConnector, KnownHostsStore} from '@jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client';

Only import concrete clients your application installs. Core re-exports generic shared types and helpers, so an SDK user can also import ConnectorPool from @jalsoedesign/dockline-core. It does not re-export concrete adapters or KnownHostsStore.

Use module and moduleResolution set to NodeNext in a Node TypeScript application, and "type": "module" in its package manifest. CommonJS callers can use dynamic import().

Contributing and building documentation

To work on Dockline itself, follow the source build guide. In that checkout, documentation has its own manifest and lockfile so VitePress is not a runtime dependency:

npm run docs:install
npm run docs:dev
npm run docs:build
npm run docs:preview

Development and preview listen on loopback by default. To share deliberately on your network:

npm --prefix docs run preview -- --host 0.0.0.0 --port 4176

The site uses one Sunset theme and no appearance toggle.

SSH command execution

For commands, sudo scopes and transfers in a connection callback, see the SSH client guide. This is a separate optional workspace and is pending its first npm publication.