lang-nodejs.rst

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Node.js

Introduction

Warning

Node.js scripts belong in your :doc:`home <basics-home>`, not in your :doc:`docroot <web-documentroot>`.

Node.js is a server-side JavaScript interpreter. Node.js is commonly used to develop server-based applications, i.e. the scripts bind to a network port.

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Versions

Release types

We provide different releases and apply security updates on a regular basis. Currently available versions are listed below.

Standard version

If you don't select a certain version, our default will be used. We decided to default to version 22, which is considered to be stable by the developers.

Show available versions

Use uberspace tools version list node to show all selectable versions:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace tools version list node
- 18
- 20
- 22
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Change version

You can select the Node.js version with uberspace tools version use node <version>. You can choose between release branches:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace tools version use node 20
Selected node version 20
The new configuration is adapted immediately. Patch updates will be applied automatically.
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Selected version

You can check the selected version by executing uberspace tools version show node on the command line:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace tools version show node
Using 'node' version: '20'
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Update policy

We update all versions on a regular basis. Once the support ends, the branch reaches its end of life (EOL), is no longer supported and will be removed from our servers. Even-numbered versions are long-term support (LTS) versions.

Branch	State	Supported Until
18	LTS	April 2025
20	LTS	April 2026
22	Current	April 2027

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Run node application in the background

To run your node application in the background we use supervisord.

Assuming your application files are located in the sub folder ~/my-node-app of your home directory. Then place a daemon service file called my-daemon.ini in ~/etc/services.d/:

[program:my-daemon]
directory=/home/isabell/my-node-app
command=npm run start
autostart=true
autorestart=true
environment=NODE_ENV=production

Start / Stop node daemon

Connection to webserver

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Available package managers

npm

npm, or the node package manager, is used to install and manage additional packages. We have preconfigured npm to install packages to your :doc:`home <basics-home>` when using the global (-g) option.

yarn

yarn is an alternative node package manager. It is used to install and manage additional packages of your node application.

npx

You can use npx to quickly execute and test any npm package without the need to create a nodejs project around it. Check out nodejs.dev to learn more.

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Popular software

Check out the ⚛️ Uberlab for guides!