How to print a receipt from Node.js on an ESC/POS thermal printer

retail-print-kit prints receipts from Node.js to Epson TM printers and ESC/POS compatibles (Bixolon, Citizen, SNBC, Xprinter, Rongta, HPRT) over the network, USB or a serial port.

Install

npm install retail-print-kit

That is all a network printer needs: 4 packages, no native modules. For USB add npm install usb, for serial add npm install serialport.

Print over the network (port 9100)

const { Printer, profiles } = require('retail-print-kit');
const { NetTransport } = require('retail-print-kit/net');

async function printReceipt() {
  const printer = new Printer(new NetTransport('192.168.1.50'), profiles['epson-tm-t88']);
  await printer.open();
  printer
    .align('ct').style('b').size(2, 2).text('MY STORE')
    .size(1, 1).style('normal').text('1 Main St, Springfield')
    .align('lt').drawLine()
    .tableCustom([
      { text: 'Coffee, large', align: 'LEFT', width: 0.6 },
      { text: '2', align: 'CENTER', width: 0.1 },
      { text: '$5.00', align: 'RIGHT', width: 0.3 },
    ])
    .drawLine()
    .tableCustom([
      { text: 'TOTAL', align: 'LEFT', width: 0.7 },
      { text: '$5.00', align: 'RIGHT', width: 0.3 },
    ])
    .feed(1)
    .align('ct').qr('https://example.com/receipt/1042')
    .cut()
    .cashdraw();
  await printer.close();
}

printReceipt().catch(console.error);

Nothing is sent until close() (or flush()), so one receipt is one write.

Print over USB

const { UsbTransport } = require('retail-print-kit/usb');
const printer = new Printer(new UsbTransport(), profiles['epson-tm-t20']);

new UsbTransport() takes the first USB printer-class device. Pass { vendorId, productId } to pick one, and UsbTransport.list() to see what is attached.

Print over serial

const { SerialTransport } = require('retail-print-kit/serial');
const printer = new Printer(new SerialTransport('COM3', { baudRate: 9600 }), profiles['generic-escpos']);

Which profile do I use?

A profile sets the columns per line, code page, cut command and cash drawer pulse, so the same code prints correctly on each. Not sure what is attached? See finding printers and reading status.

Try it without a printer

npx retail-print-kit preview --profile epson-tm-t88 --out receipt.html
npx retail-print-kit test --dry --profile epson-tm-t88

printer.toHtml() returns the same preview from your own code.

Next

• Open a cash drawer
• QR codes and barcodes
• Print a logo
• Receipt templates and the visual designer
• Electron apps

Install

npm install retail-print-kit

All guides · Designer · npm · GitHub