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Node.js

GitHub and NPM offer an extensive collection of applications, including both command-line interface (CLI) tools and those with browser-based user interfaces. Adding Node.js applications to Alnoda workspaces is relatively straightforward.

Nodeenv

To utilize Node.js applications in Alnoda workspaces, the appropriate version of Node.js with npm or yarn must be installed. Due to the different version requirements of various applications, each should be installed in its own isolated environment. Alnoda workspaces are equipped with nodeenv by default.

Nodeenv simplifies the process by enabling the creation of a localized version of Node.js, npm or yarn within a distinct folder.

Create virtual environment with a specific version of Node.js: 

<font color="#5EA702">nodeenv</font> --node=16.16.0 env

Activate virtual environment: 

. env/bin/activate

npm

Once the necessary Node.js version is set up in an isolated local environment, we can proceed to install the application. The simplest way is installing applications directly from the NPM.

Installing applications from NPM is easier. For example install the express-generator:

<font color="#5EA702">npm</font> install -g express-generator

From source

You can also clone remote Git repository, followed by installing the dependencies and building it. For example, let's install a markdown editor called "StackEdit" from a Git repository.

First restart terminal to deactivate any nodeenv environment, and clone the "StackEdit" repository:

<font color="#5EA702">git</font> clone https://github.com/benweet/stackedit.git /home/abc/apps/stackedit

Navigate into the cloned repository's directory and install node environment with the specific Node.js version: 

<font color="#5EA702">cd</font> stackedit
<font color="#5EA702">cd</font> /home/abc/apps/stackedit && <font color="#5EA702">nodeenv</font> --node=12.13.0 env && . env/bin/activate

Install the npm dependencies:

<font color="#5EA702">npm</font> install

Once the dependencies are installed, you can start the application with:

<font color="#5EA702">npm</font> start

The application will be served on port 8080 (at the time of writing this doc). Port 8080 is not exposed by the workspace and we need to forward it to the exposed port 

<font color="#5EA702">socat</font> tcp-listen:8026,reuseaddr,fork tcp:localhost:8080

Now you can open StackEdit Box from the tab "My App on port 8026"

Tip

Explore this document further for additional examples of installing Node.js applications