CLI Table Generator

Common errors

• TypeError: Table is not a constructor

  cause Attempting to use `import Table from 'cli-table'` in a Node.js environment where `cli-table` is detected as a CommonJS module and `import` is not correctly transpiled or configured for interop.
  fix Change the import statement to `const Table = require('cli-table');`.

• Table rows appear broken, misaligned, or text is unexpectedly truncated.

  cause This often occurs due to incorrect `colWidths` being set, especially when column content includes invisible ANSI color codes or when `chars` configuration is malformed.
  fix Verify `colWidths` are sufficient for the content. If using ANSI colors, ensure they are handled correctly (e.g., stripped for length calculation). Double-check the `chars` object for correct unicode characters and complete definitions. Consider `cli-table3` for improved ANSI color handling.

• `Cannot read property 'toString' of undefined` or `undefined is not a function (near '...table.toString()...')`

  cause Forgetting to call `.toString()` on the `cli-table` instance before attempting to log or manipulate its string representation. The `table` object itself is not a string.
  fix Always call `console.log(table.toString());` or assign `table.toString()` to a variable.

Warnings

• gotcha The `cli-table` package (version 0.3.11) is a CommonJS module. Direct `import` statements in ES module contexts will result in `ERR_REQUIRE_ESM` errors unless specific Node.js loader configurations or transpilation are used.
  Fix: Use `const Table = require('cli-table');` for importing in CommonJS modules. For ES modules, consider a package like `cli-table3` which offers better ESM compatibility, or configure Node.js `type: module` and potentially use dynamic `import('cli-table')`.
• gotcha The `colors.js` dependency, while functional in the version `cli-table` uses, was subject to a highly publicized supply chain attack (self-sabotage) in January 2022. While `cli-table` itself wasn't directly compromised, transitive dependency resolution could theoretically pull in a problematic version if not carefully managed, or if `colors.js` has further incidents.
  Fix: Ensure `colors.js` is pinned to a known stable version in your `package-lock.json` or `yarn.lock`. Consider using `npm audit` or `snyk test` to check for known vulnerabilities in your dependency tree. If using `cli-table3` (a maintained fork), it uses `@colors/colors` which is a more stable alternative.
• gotcha Configuring the `chars` property for custom table borders can be verbose and error-prone. Small mistakes in character assignment or omission can lead to malformed or visually broken table layouts.
  Fix: Thoroughly test custom `chars` configurations with various data lengths and content. Refer to the documentation's examples for correct unicode character usage. Start with a simpler `chars` object and gradually add complexity.
• gotcha Text containing ANSI color codes (e.g., from `chalk` or `colors.js` when applied to cell content) can cause `colWidths` calculations to be inaccurate, leading to misaligned columns or unexpected truncation. The invisible control characters are counted in length, but not rendered visibly.
  Fix: Strip ANSI color codes from cell content before passing it to `cli-table` for column width calculation, then reapply them before `toString()`. Or, consider using `cli-table3`, which has more robust truncation and wrapping for ANSI colored text.
• gotcha The package `cli-table` has not seen new versions released to npm in the past 12 months (as of early 2026) and can be considered a discontinued project with low attention from maintainers. For active development and new features, consider `cli-table3`, which is an actively maintained, API-compatible fork.
  Fix: For new projects or if you require ongoing maintenance and new features, migrate to `cli-table3` (`npm install cli-table3`). For existing projects using `cli-table`, be aware of the lack of updates and potential for unpatched issues.

Install

• npm install cli-table npm
• yarn add cli-table yarn
• pnpm add cli-table pnpm

Imports

• Table
  wrong:

  import Table from 'cli-table';

  correct:

  const Table = require('cli-table');

  cli-table is a CommonJS module. Direct ES module import will fail in environments not explicitly configured for CJS-ESM interop.
• Table (configured)

  const Table = require('cli-table');
  const table = new Table({
    head: ['Header 1', 'Header 2'],
    colWidths: [20, 40]
  });

  The primary export is a constructor function used to instantiate a table with configuration options.
• Table (rows init)

  const Table = require('cli-table');
  const table = new Table({
    rows: [
        ['Row 1 Col 1', 'Row 1 Col 2'],
        ['Row 2 Col 1', 'Row 2 Col 2']
    ]
  });

  Rows can be initialized directly in the constructor for smaller tables.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to create both a horizontal and a vertical unicode table with custom headers, column widths, and character styles, then populate and print them to the console.

const Table = require('cli-table');

// Instantiate a new table with custom headers and column widths
const table = new Table({
    head: ['Task ID', 'Description', 'Status', 'Due Date']
  , colWidths: [10, 40, 15, 20] // Define column widths
  , chars: {
        'top': '═' , 'top-mid': '╤' , 'top-left': '╔' , 'top-right': '╗'
      , 'bottom': '═' , 'bottom-mid': '╧' , 'bottom-left': '╚' , 'bottom-right': '╝'
      , 'left': '║' , 'left-mid': '╟' , 'mid': '─' , 'mid-mid': '┼'
      , 'right': '║' , 'right-mid': '╢' , 'middle': '│'
    }
});

// Add rows to the table. Table is an Array-like object.
table.push(
    [1, 'Implement feature A', 'In Progress', '2026-05-01']
  , [2, 'Fix bug in module B that causes a critical error', 'Blocked', '2026-04-28']
  , [3, 'Review pull request #123', 'Pending', '2026-04-25']
);

// Log the table to the console
console.log(table.toString());

// Example of a vertical table
const verticalTable = new Table();
verticalTable.push(
    { 'User': 'Alice' }
  , { 'Role': 'Admin' }
  , { 'Last Login': '2026-04-22 10:30' }
);
console.log('\nVertical Table:');
console.log(verticalTable.toString());