search the current directory for regexp pattern matches

directory-pattern-matches.js

var fs = require('fs'),
  path = require('path'),
  child_process = require('child_process'),
  exec = child_process.exec,
  pattern = /hello/gi,
  fileList,
  patternMatches = [];

// recursive directory listing
exec('find ' + __dirname, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
  fileList = stdout.split('\n').filter(function (item) {
    // only take .txt files
    return item.trim().length > 0 && path.extname(item) === '.txt';
  });

  // read each file
  fileList.forEach(function (item) {
    var fileText = fs.readFileSync(item).toString();

    // split into lines
    fileText.toString().split('\n').forEach(function (lineText, lineIndex) {
    
      // check the pattern
      if (pattern.test(lineText) === true) {
        // add it to the results
        patternMatches.push({
          fileName: item,
          lineText: lineText,
          line: lineIndex + 1
        });
      }
    });
  });

  // display results
  console.log('patternMatches', patternMatches);
});