exit-hook provides a simple and reliable way to execute code when your Node.js process is about to exit. This is useful for cleanup tasks like closing database connections, writing logs, or releasing resources before the application terminates, whether due to an uncaught exception, signal interrupt (like Ctrl+C), or normal completion. It ensures crucial actions are performed even in abrupt shutdown scenarios, promoting data integrity and smooth application behavior.
The exit-hook npm package had initial releases in 2014, followed by a period of inactivity. Releases resumed in 2018 with version 2.0.0, and continued sporadically, with versions 2.1.0 and 2.2.0 released in April 2019. A few more releases occurred in 2021, 2022 and 2023. There have been no releases in 2024 or 2025, with the last release, version 4.0.0, happening in August 2023.
Exit-hook npm package downloads show a general upward trend from March 2024 to July 2025, peaking at 21.1 million downloads. August 2025 data is incomplete, showing 16.9 million downloads, but still indicates strong usage, though potentially lower than the previous month.
