How to insert the .env into a folder and run the nodemon? - node.js

Question

SERVER.JS RESUME DOTENV
const dotenv = require('dotenv-safe');
this.dotenv = dotenv.load();
Problems:
1) I can not run the nodemon if it has only the .env file, it runs only if it contains the .env and .env.example files and I would like to know why and how to correctly match it.
2) How to insert the .env in the /env folder without the problem nodemon?
3) In my start script of package.json is the following "start_dev": "nodemon app/backend/src/start.js", however it is giving the following error:
nodemon app / backend / src / start.js
[nodemon] 1.18.9
[nodemon] to restart at any time, enter `rs`
[nodemon] watching: *. *
[nodemon] starting `node app / backend / src / start.js`
consign v0.1.6 Initialized in C: \ Users \ THIAGOSAAD \ Documents \ DEVELOPMENT \ NEORIS \ ALIANSCE \ aliansce-app-analyticals-panel
fs.js: 115
throw err;
^
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '.env.example'
at Object.openSync (fs.js: 436: 3)
at Object.readFileSync (fs.js: 341: 35)
C: \ Users \ THIAGOSAAD \ Documents \ DEVELOPMENT \ NEORIS \ ALIANSCE \ aliansce-app-analyticals-panel \ node_modules \ dotenv-safe \ index.js: 27: 45)
at new Application (C: \ Users \ THIAGOSAAD \ Documents \ DEVELOPMENT \ NEORIS \ ALIANSCE \ aliansce-app-analyticals-panel \ app \ backend \ src \ config \ server.js: 11: 32)
at-the-object. <anonymous> (C: \ Users \ THIAGOSAAD \ Documents \ DEVELOPMENT \ NEORIS \ ALIANSCE \ aliansce-app-analyticals-panel \ app \ backend \ src \ config \ server.js: 65: 18)
at Module._compile (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 688: 30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 699: 10)
at Module.load (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 598: 32)
at tryModuleLoad (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 537: 12)
at Function.Module._load (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 529: 3)
at Module.require (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 636: 17)
at require (internal / modules / cjs / helpers.js: 20: 18)
at aliasce-app-analyticals-panel \ app \ backend \ src \ start.js: 1: 78)
at Module._compile (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 688: 30)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 699: 10)
at Module.load (internal / modules / cjs / loader.js: 598: 32)
[nodemon] app crashed - waiting for file changes before starting ...
And if I run the nodemon in the C:\Users\username\Documents\DEVELOPMENT\NEORIS\ ALIANSCE\aliansce-app-analyticals-panel\app\ ackend\src directory
It works!

Answer 1

I looked at this line of code - https://github.com/rolodato/dotenv-safe/blob/master/index.js#L27
It tries to read file .env.example but can not find it in the current folder (run pwd to check it)
It might be 3 ways to solve issue
1) Run
cd app/backend/src
nodemon start.js
2) Move files .env, .env.example to parent folder (aliansce-app-analyticals-panel) and then run nodemon app/backend/src/start.js
3) Do not use dotenv-safe at all. Use your own simple script like this one
Just look at this simple example:
https://github.com/olegdovger/pizza-delivery-api/blob/master/lib/env.js (script)
https://github.com/olegdovger/pizza-delivery-api/blob/master/index.js#L1 (how to invoke script)

Answer 2

With help of #OlegDover and yargs, I managed to pass .env file from a different path and use nodemon for hot-reloading during development.
e.g. $ nodemon --watch /path/to/.env server.js --envPath=path/to/.env will pick up changes to .env file and restart deployment.
Example Code
.env
EXAMPLE_HOST=myhost
EXAMPLE_PORT=5566
env.js
/*
* Module dependencies
*/
const fs = require("fs");
const yargs = require("yargs");
/*
* Custom class to update process.env from custom filepath
* Ref: https://github.com/olegdovger/pizza-delivery-api/blob/master/lib/env.js
*/
class Env {
constructor(envPath) {
this.variables = [];
this._setup(envPath);
}
_setup(envPath) {
try {
const data = fs.readFileSync(envPath, {
encoding: "utf-8",
});
const stringArray = data.split("\n");
this.variables = stringArray.map((string) => {
const arr = string.split("=");
return {
name: arr[0],
value: arr[1],
};
});
} catch (err) {
console.error("Unable to load .env;", err);
}
}
load() {
this.variables.forEach((variable) => {
process.env[variable.name] = variable.value;
});
}
}
/*
* Load .env from argv filepath
*/
const argv = yargs.argv;
new Env(argv["envPath"]).load();
/**
* Register
*/
module.exports = {
EXAMPLE_HOST: process.env.EXAMPLE_HOST || "localhost",
EXAMPLE_PORT: Number(process.env.EXAMPLE_PORT) || 12345,
};
server.js
const { EXAMPLE_HOST, EXAMPLE_PORT } = require("./env");
The environment variables can then be loaded/used in the project, having the fallback values if they are not defined in the .env file.
i.e. if EXAMPLE_HOST is not present in .env, this value will default to localhost