NodeJS package running multiple scripts when starting

Question

I'm using NodeJS and I want to deploy my app.

When the app is on the server it to runs node ./bin/www (standard configured by express) in package.json , to start the server. But I want to run another script after the node ./bin/www script is done ./api.js (this script will loop forever).

The ./api.js is located in the root folder of the projecr

This is what i tried but no succes so far.

  "scripts": {
    "start": "node ./bin/www",
    "start": "node ./api.js"
  }

The server launches both scripts, (checked by logs). But i cant access the website

LOGS:

    > x@ start /app
    > node ./api.js

    State changed from starting to crashed
    State changed from crashed to starting
    Error R10 (Boot timeout) -> Web process failed to bind to $PORT within 60 seconds of launch
    Stopping process with SIGKILL

www/bin:

#!/usr/bin/env node

/**
 * Module dependencies.
 */

var app = require('../app');
var debug = require('debug')('expressapp:server');
var http = require('http');

/**
 * Get port from environment and store in Express.
 */

var port = normalizePort(process.env.PORT || '3000');
app.set('port', port);

/**
 * Create HTTP server.
 */

var server = http.createServer(app);

/**
 * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
 */

server.listen(port);
server.on('error', onError);
server.on('listening', onListening);

/**
 * Normalize a port into a number, string, or false.
 */

function normalizePort(val) {
  var port = parseInt(val, 10);

  if (isNaN(port)) {
    // named pipe
    return val;
  }

  if (port >= 0) {
    // port number
    return port;
  }

  return false;
}

/**
 * Event listener for HTTP server "error" event.
 */

function onError(error) {
  if (error.syscall !== 'listen') {
    throw error;
  }

  var bind = typeof port === 'string'
    ? 'Pipe ' + port
    : 'Port ' + port;

  // handle specific listen errors with friendly messages
  switch (error.code) {
    case 'EACCES':
      console.error(bind + ' requires elevated privileges');
      process.exit(1);
      break;
    case 'EADDRINUSE':
      console.error(bind + ' is already in use');
      process.exit(1);
      break;
    default:
      throw error;
  }
}



/**
 * Event listener for HTTP server "listening" event.
 */

function onListening() {
  var addr = server.address();
  var bind = typeof addr === 'string'
    ? 'pipe ' + addr
    : 'port ' + addr.port;
  debug('Listening on ' + bind);
}

Answer 1

The easiest way to do this would be to use the bash && operator, which runs one command then another once it is finished:

"scripts": {
  "start": "node ./bin/www && node ./api.js"
}

Answer 2

NPM has pre and post hooks in the scripts section of package.json to put scripts execution in sequence.

So, you can do:

"scripts": {
    "start": "node ./bin/www",
    "poststart": "node ./api.js"
}

to get what you whant. This solution is fully supported across systems.

Happy coding!

Answer 3

Since your ./bin/www/ is a long-running process(An Express app that listens for TCP connections) and there is won't be an "end" for a typical long-running job.

I think the best way you could achieve such is to include you ./api.js as a regular dependency

 // ./bin/www const app = express(); app.listen(); ...code require('./api')();