NodeJS Hello World

This section will guide you through the setup of a simple NodeJS project using the Riptide repository.

This guide assumes you have Riptide fully set up, with shell integration enabled and a running proxy server (for this guide we assume https://riptide.local as base URL of your proxy server). It also assumes you have the repos part of the configuration set to only the Riptide Community Repository (the default).

NodeJS does NOT need to be installed for this guide.

Preparing the project

For this guide we will set up a very simple Express-based web server. You can probably adapt this guide to more complex applications.

Create a new directory and create an index.js in it with the following contents:

// Source: https://expressjs.com/starter/hello-world.html
var express = require('express');
var app = express();

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
  res.send('Hello World!');
});

app.listen(3000, function () {
  console.log('Example app listening on port 3000!');
});

Create a package.json containing express as a dependency:

{
  "name": "js-helloworld",
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.16.4"
  }
}

Creating a basic riptide.yml

Create a riptide.yml with the following contents:

project:
  name: js-helloworld
  src: .
  app:
    name: js-helloworld
    services:
      nodejs:
        image: node:10
        command: 'node index.js'
        port: 3000
        roles:
          - src
          - main

This file contains one project named js-helloworld. We specify with src that the source code for this project is in the same directory that the riptide.yml is in.

This project contains an app called js-helloworld. This app has one service called nodejs. This service is the container specification for our Hello World app.

The service nodejs needs a Docker image with Node.js in it, so we specify the image node:10. Our script is in the index.js, so we tell Riptide to run node index.js as the command of our service.

Our Hello World app (http) runs on port 3000, so we tell Riptide this by setting port to it.

The final step is adding roles. Roles define the behaviour of services.

The src role gives our service access to the source code (the index.js file). The main role sets the service as the main service for our project.

Adding commands for NPM

Next we need to add the node and npm commands to our project, so that we can run npm to install express from the package.json.

Add the following under app in the riptide.yml:

commands:
  node:
    $ref: /command/node/10
  npm:
    $ref: /command/npm/node10

This adds two new commands, one containing NodeJS and one containing npm. All npm processes started will also have access to the directory .npm in your home directory and your .npmrc.

Those commands come from the Riptide repository, if you want to know how they work, visit the repository:

• /command/node/10
• /command/npm/node10

Running the project setup

Run riptide setup --skip to initiate the project. Since we have not added any setup instructions or files to import, we just skip the setup with the --skip flag.

Installing requirements

If you have the shell integration enabled, leave and enter the directory again, this will load the configured npm and node commands. You can now run npm install, which will install express and create a directory named node_modules.

Starting the project

Since the project’s dependencies (express) are now installed, you can open the front page of the Proxy server (https://riptide.local). You will find a new project called js-helloworld.

Click on the link and the project will start. After it starts you will see the “Hello World!” message telling you, that the project works.

Enable logging

If you want to enable logging, add the following lines to the service nodejs:

logging:
  stdout: true
  stderr: true

You can restart the project by using riptide restart. After the restart you will find logging files in _riptide/logs/nodejs.

Adding files for import and setup instructions

For our simple example there are no files to import and we don’t really need any setup instructions.

However the riptide setup command supports usage notes and importing files, as you can see in the User Documentation. You can also see an example project there.

To add usage notes, add the following to the app:

notices:
  usage: >-
    This is a demo usage note.

    You can also use variables here: {{ services.nodejs.image }}

  installation: >-
    This will be shown when the user chooses to set up a new project.

The user (and you) can view those notes by calling riptide notes. They are also shown during riptide setup. The first one is shown in the beginning during the setup and the second if the uses chooses to install a new project. Use the first notice for general usage notes and post installation steps and the second as a guide for setting up completely new projects.

You can also specify files to import. During riptide setup the user will be asked if they want to import the file or directory. When they choose to do it, Riptide will copy the files and directories inside the project.

Example:

import:
  example:
    target: "readme.txt"
    name: Readme file

If you run riptide setup --force you can run the setup wizard for your project again.

You will see the notice, and if you choose to setup an existing project, you can specify a “Readme file” to import to readme.txt. Try it out and you will see, that Riptide copies the directory or file you specify to readme.txt inside your project.