# @turf/point-to-line-distance ## pointToLineDistance Calculates the distance between a given point and the nearest point on a line. Sometimes referred to as the cross track distance. ### Parameters * `pt` **([Feature][1]<[Point][2]> | [Array][3]<[number][4]>)** Feature or Geometry * `line` **[Feature][1]<[LineString][5]>** GeoJSON Feature or Geometry * `options` **[Object][6]** Optional parameters (optional, default `{}`) * `options.units` **[string][7]** can be anything supported by turf/convertLength (ex: degrees, radians, miles, or kilometers) (optional, default `"kilometers"`) * `options.method` **[string][7]** whether to calculate the distance based on geodesic (spheroid) or planar (flat) method. Valid options are 'geodesic' or 'planar'. (optional, default `"geodesic"`) ### Examples ```javascript var pt = turf.point([0, 0]); var line = turf.lineString([[1, 1],[-1, 1]]); var distance = turf.pointToLineDistance(pt, line, {units: 'miles'}); //=69.11854715938406 ``` Returns **[number][4]** distance between point and line [1]: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7946#section-3.2 [2]: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7946#section-3.1.2 [3]: https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array [4]: https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Number [5]: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7946#section-3.1.4 [6]: https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object [7]: https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String --- This module is part of the [Turfjs project](https://turfjs.org/), an open source module collection dedicated to geographic algorithms. It is maintained in the [Turfjs/turf](https://github.com/Turfjs/turf) repository, where you can create PRs and issues. ### Installation Install this single module individually: ```sh $ npm install @turf/point-to-line-distance ``` Or install the all-encompassing @turf/turf module that includes all modules as functions: ```sh $ npm install @turf/turf ```