bl, short for Buffer List, is a Node.js library designed for efficiently handling and manipulating streams of data in the form of Buffers. It simplifies working with fragmented or incomplete data, providing a single, cohesive Buffer representation. bl excels in scenarios where data arrives in chunks, offering methods for easy appending, slicing, and overall management of Buffer sequences. This makes it a valuable tool for parsing protocols, processing network streams, or handling file data in streaming applications.
The npm package bl has been actively maintained since its initial release in June 2013. Release frequency varied, with peaks in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2023. There were periods of inactivity. The latest versions, 6.1.1 and 6.1.2, were released in August 2025.
bl npm package downloads show a general upward trend from March 2024 to July 2025, peaking at 188 million. August 2025 downloads are at 165 million, but represent incomplete data for the month. Recent months (March-July 2025) show significantly higher download numbers compared to 2024.
