Github actions - CI is stuck because of build artifacts (to convert typescript to javascript)

Question

I'm trying to convert my typescript files to javascript files on my github actions pipeline. I am using Node.js/Express.js with typescript.

Problem

The CI is stuck at step " install dependencies & convert typescript to javascript ". It looks like it works since I can see the console.log(), but the CI will not finish. Why is that?

Here is my package.json:

npm run convert converts typescript to javascript files into the backend-build folder . The backend-build folder contains the js file after conversion. The backend-build folder is not tracked in the repository because they are compiled files from npm run convert (ie an Artifact).

I run it whenever I start my server.

{
    "name": "backend",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "description": "",
    "main": "backend-build/index.js",
    "scripts": {
        "tsc": "tsc",
        "convert:build": "tsc -w",
        "convert:run": "nodemon backend-build/index.js",
        "convert": "concurrently npm:convert:*",
        "start": " node backend-build/index.js",
        "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
    },
    "author": "",
    "license": "ISC",
    "devDependencies": {
        "concurrently": "^5.3.0"
    },
    "dependencies": {
        "@types/cors": "^2.8.8",
        "@types/dotenv": "^8.2.0",
        "@types/express": "^4.17.8",
        "@types/pg": "^7.14.7",
        "backblaze-b2": "^1.7.0",
        "cors": "^2.8.5",
        "dotenv": "^8.6.0",
        "express": "^4.17.1",
        "multer": "^1.4.3",
        "nodemon": "^2.0.6",
        "pg": "^8.5.1",
        "typescript": "^4.0.5"
    }
}

Here is my typescript file (index.ts) :

import express from "express";
import dotenv from "dotenv";
import cors from "cors";
if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") {
    dotenv.config();
}

const app = express();
// middleware for parsing bodies from URL
app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
app.use(express.json());
app.use(cors({ origin: true, credentials: true }));

console.log("NODE ENV", process.env.privateKey);
app.use("/api/test", (req, res) => {
    res.send("hi");
});

const port = process.env.PORT || 5000;

app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`App running on port ${port}.`);
});

Here is my main.yml for Github actions:

  name: Deploy

    on:
        push:
            branches:
                - main

    jobs:
        build:
            runs-on: ubuntu-latest
            steps:
                - uses: actions/checkout@v2 #deploys to heroku
                - uses: akhileshns/heroku-deploy@v3.12.12 # This is the action
                with:
                    heroku_api_key: ${{secrets.HEROKU_API_KEY}}
                    heroku_app_name: "app" #Must be unique in Heroku
                    heroku_email: "a.com"
                - name: install dependencies & convert typescript to javascript
                run: |
                    npm install
                    npm run convert

Output of CI / the Problem (it is stuck at this step)

Run npm install
  npm install
  npm run convert
  shell: /usr/bin/bash -e {0}
npm WARN read-shrinkwrap This version of npm is compatible with lockfileVersion@1, but package-lock.json was generated for lockfileVersion@2. I'll try to do my best with it!

> nodemon@2.0.15 postinstall /home/runner/work/gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend/node_modules/nodemon
> node bin/postinstall || exit 0

npm WARN backend@1.0.0 No description
npm WARN backend@1.0.0 No repository field.
npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: fsevents@2.3.2 (node_modules/fsevents):
npm WARN notsup SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: Unsupported platform for fsevents@2.3.2: wanted {"os":"darwin","arch":"any"} (current: {"os":"linux","arch":"x64"})

added 294 packages from 222 contributors and audited 296 packages in 27.56s

22 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

found 4 moderate severity vulnerabilities
  run `npm audit fix` to fix them, or `npm audit` for details

> backend@1.0.0 convert /home/runner/work/gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend
> concurrently npm:convert:*

[convert:build] 
[convert:build] > backend@1.0.0 convert:build /home/runner/work/gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend
[convert:build] > tsc -w
[convert:build] 
[convert:run] 
[convert:run] > backend@1.0.0 convert:run /home/runner/work/gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend
[convert:run] > nodemon backend-build/index.js
[convert:run] 
[convert:run] [nodemon] 2.0.15
[convert:run] [nodemon] to restart at any time, enter `rs`
[convert:run] [nodemon] watching path(s): *.*
[convert:run] [nodemon] watching extensions: js,mjs,json
[convert:run] [nodemon] starting `node backend-build/index.js backend-build/index.js`
[convert:run] internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:905
[convert:run]   throw err;
[convert:run]   ^
[convert:run] 
[convert:run] Error: Cannot find module '/home/runner/work/gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend/backend-build/index.js'
[convert:run]     at Function.Module._resolveFilename (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:902:15)
[convert:run]     at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:746:27)
[convert:run]     at Function.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (internal/modules/run_main.js:76:12)
[convert:run]     at internal/main/run_main_module.js:17:47 {
[convert:run]   code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
[convert:run]   requireStack: []
[convert:run] }
[convert:run] [nodemon] app crashed - waiting for file changes before starting...
[convert:build] c3:28:10 AM - Starting compilation in watch mode...
[convert:build] 
[convert:build] 
[convert:build] 3:28:12 AM - Found 0 errors. Watching for file changes.
[convert:run] [nodemon] restarting due to changes...
[convert:run] [nodemon] starting `node backend-build/index.js backend-build/index.js`
[convert:run] NODE ENV undefined
[convert:run] App running on port 5000.

Resource used: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/advanced-guides/storing-workflow-data-as-artifacts

Answer 1

The job is staying "open" because of the -w (watch) directive. You don't want to use watch on your CI jobs unless you're also doing something to kill the watched process.

The errors suggest that your paths aren't correct so it's trying to run tsc -w , and then failing to find anything in the given path ( ./gh_actions_heroku_backend/gh_actions_heroku_backend ) and then staying "open" because of the watch directive.