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I have an Node.js app written by typescript. I have VisualStudio 2013 and Node.js tools for Visual Studio, so I can debug compiled .js files in node.js runtime.
I can debug typescript files for browser html application.
How can I debug typescript files for node.js environment?
It is trivial to debug nodejs javascript applications using webstorm : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bKsDoFj83o I would suggest doing the same in typescript case i.e. debug your js.
I tried to do this a while ago and found it quite frustrating, I don't think it's possible to use the Visual Studio debugger for TypeScript with Node applications at the moment. You're also limited to using Internet Explorer for debugging and most developers seem to use Chrome these days.
That said Node and TypeScript debugging is possible, there's a link here. The process is a little funky but basarat is on the right track - WebStorm is probably a superior development environment for JavaScript applications and it has good support for the compile to languages (TypeScript, CoffeeScript, Dart). I haven't tried debugging TypeScript with Node apps using WebStorm but according to this thread it is possible.
UPDATE:
I've just had a quick look at the NTVS site (see here) and there are workarounds but they're not easy and this remains a work in progress
With the 1.0 beta release of NTVS it is now very simple to debug node.js applications in visual studio (version 2013), as this release contains the typescript compile templates which previous versions did not contain. The new functionality lets you debug directly in your typescript code.
If you are using previous versions you can get around the missing templates by having two projects in your solution, one for a web application (this does the typescript build) and one for the nodejs tools to debug the js code.
What IDE's support node auto-complete and can attach to the node debugger? I have used Cloud9 which does work well for node, but since it is hosted on its own servers it cannot access my private network. I have also used eclipse but the autocomplete is not very effective.
We are building an html5 website using node, it would be nice to have a good experience for CSS and html editing as well.
Try WebStorm by JetBrains. You can debug node in it and it has a nice autocomplete feature.
Here best IDE for Node.js with autocomplete and debugger
Atom with stylish coding and hundred of plugin
Brackets
Webstrom
Komodo
Eclips
I recently found CodeLite supports nodejs debugging.
Autocomplete works well for certain modules, but somehow does not work for other modules, such as Express.
How do I debug a Node.js server application?
Right now I'm mostly using alert debugging with print statements like this:
sys.puts(sys.inspect(someVariable));
There must be a better way to debug. I know that Google Chrome has a command-line debugger. Is this debugger available for Node.js as well?
node-inspector could save the day! Use it from any browser supporting WebSocket. Breakpoints, profiler, livecoding, etc... It is really awesome.
Install it with:
npm install -g node-inspector
Then run:
node-debug app.js
Debugging
Joyent's Guide
Debugger
Node Inspector
Visual Studio Code
Cloud9
Brackets
Profiling
node --prof ./app.js
node --prof-process ./the-generated-log-file
Heapdumps
node-heapdump with Chrome Developer Tools
Flamegraphs
0x
jam3/devtool then Chrome Developer Tools Flame Charts
Dtrace and StackVis — Only supported on SmartOS
clinicjs
Tracing
Interactive Stack Traces with TraceGL
Logging
Libraries that output debugging information
Caterpillar
Tracer
scribbles
Libraries that enhance stack trace information
Longjohn
Benchmarking
Apache Bench: ab -n 100000 -c 1 http://127.0.0.1:9778/
wrk
Other
Trace
Vantage
Bugger
Google Tracing Framework
Paul Irish's Guide
Legacy
These use to work but are no longer maintained or no longer applicable to modern node versions.
https://github.com/bnoordhuis/node-profiler - replaced by built-in debugging
https://github.com/c4milo/node-webkit-agent - replaced by node inspector
https://nodetime.com/ - defunct
The V8 debugger released as part of the Google Chrome Developer Tools can be used to debug Node.js scripts. A detailed explanation of how this works can be found in the Node.js GitHub wiki.
Node has its own built in GUI debugger as of version 6.3 (using Chrome's DevTools)
Simply pass the inspector flag and you'll be provided with a URL to the inspector:
node --inspect server.js
You can also break on the first line by passing --inspect-brk instead.
Node.js version 0.3.4+ has built-in debugging support.
node debug script.js
Manual: http://nodejs.org/api/debugger.html
Visual Studio Code will be my choice for debugging. No overhead of installing any tools or npm install stuff.
Just set the starting point of your app in package.json and VSCode will automatically create a configuration file inside your solution. It's build on Electron, on which editors like Atom are built.
VS Code gives similar debugging experience as you might have
had in other IDEs like VS, Eclipse, etc.
I personally use JetBrains WebStorm as it's the only JavaScript IDE that I've found which is great for both frontend and backend JavaScript.
It works on multiple OS's and has Node.js debugging built-in (as well as a ton of other stuff](http://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm/features/index.html).
My only 'issues'/wishlist items are were:
It seems to be more resource hungry on Mac than Windows It no longer seems an issue in version 6.
It would be nice if it had Snippet support (like those of Sublime Text 2 - i.e. type 'fun' and tap 'tab' to put in a function. See #WickyNilliams comment below - With Live Templates you also have snippet support.
A lot of great answers here, but I'd like to add my view (based on how my approach evolved)
Debug Logs
Let's face it, we all love a good console.log('Uh oh, if you reached here, you better run.') and sometimes that works great, so if you're reticent to move too far away from it at least add some bling to your logs with Visionmedia's debug.
Interactive Debugging
As handy as console logging can be, to debug professionally you need to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. Set breakpoints, step through your code, inspect scopes and variables to see what's causing that weird behaviour. As others have mentioned, node-inspector really is the bees-knees. It does everything you can do with the built-in debugger, but using that familiar Chrome DevTools interface.
If, like me, you use Webstorm, then here is a handy guide to debugging from there.
Stack Traces
By default, we can't trace a series of operations across different cycles of the event loop (ticks). To get around this have a look at longjohn (but not in production!).
Memory Leaks
With Node.js we can have a server process expected to stay up for considerable time. What do you do if you think it has sprung some nasty leaks? Use heapdump and Chrome DevTools to compare some snapshots and see what's changing.
For some useful articles, check out
RisingStack - Debugging Node.js Applications
Excellent article by David Mark Clements of nearForm
If you feel like watching a video(s) then
Netflix JS Talks - Debugging Node.js in Production
Interesting video from the tracing working group on tracing and debugging node.js
Really informative 15-minute video on node-inspector
Whatever path you choose, just be sure you understand how you are debugging
It is a painful thing
To look at your own trouble and know
That you yourself and no one else has made it
Sophocles, Ajax
Theseus is a project by Adobe research which lets you debug your Node.js code in their Open Source editor Brackets. It has some interesting features like real-time code coverage, retroactive inspection, asynchronous call tree.
Node.js Tools for Visual Studio 2012 or 2013 includes a debugger. The overview here states "Node.js Tools for Visual Studio includes complete support for debugging node apps.". Being new to Node.js, but having a background in .NET, I've found this add in to be a great way to debug Node.js applications.
Visual Studio Code has really nice Node.js debugging support. It is free, open source and cross-platform and runs on Linux, OS X and Windows.
You can even debug grunt and gulp tasks, should you need to...
I wrote a different approach to debug Node.js code which is stable and is extremely simple. It is available at https://github.com/s-a/iron-node.
An opensource cross-platform visual debugger.
Installation:
npm install iron-node -g;
Debug:
iron-node yourscript.js;
I created a neat little tool called pry.js that can help you out.
Put a simple statement somewhere in your code, run your script normally and node will halt the current thread giving you access to all your variables and functions. View/edit/delete them at will!
var pry = require('pryjs')
class FizzBuzz
run: ->
for i in [1..100]
output = ''
eval(pry.it) // magic
output += "Fizz" if i % 3 is 0
output += "Buzz" if i % 5 is 0
console.log output || i
bar: ->
10
fizz = new FizzBuzz()
fizz.run()
If you are using the Atom IDE, you can install the node-debugger package.
Using Chrome Version 67.0.3396.62(+)
Run node app
node --inspect-brk=0.0.0.0:9229 server.js(server js filename)
Browse your app in chrome e.g. "localhost:port"
Open DevTools.
Click the the node icon beside the responsive device icon.
There will be another DevTools window that will pop out specifically for debugging node app.
There is built-in command line debugger client within Node.js. Cloud 9 IDE have also pretty nice (visual) debugger.
I put together a short Node.js debugging primer on using the node-inspector for those who aren't sure where to get started.
Visual Studio Code will work for us in debugging.
Use Webstorm! It's perfect for debugging Node.js applications. It has a built-in debugger. Check out the docs here: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/webstorm/2016.1/running-and-debugging-node-js.html
If you need a powerful logging library for Node.js, Tracer https://github.com/baryon/tracer is a better choice.
It outputs log messages with a timestamp, file name, method name, line number, path or call stack, support color console, and support database, file, stream transport easily. I am the author.
Assuming you have node-inspector installed on your computer (if not, just type 'npm install -g node-inspector') you just have to run:
node-inspector & node --debug-brk scriptFileName.js
And paste the URI from the command line into a WebKit (Chrome / Safari) browser.
Just for completeness:
The PyCharm 3.0 + Node.js Plugin offers an awesome development + run + debug experience.
Start your node process with --inspect flag.
node --inspect index.js
and then Open chrome://inspect in chrome. Click the "Open dedicated DevTools for Node" link or install this chrome extension for easily opening chrome DevTools.
For more info refer to this link
There is the new open-source Nodeclipse project (as a Eclipse plugin or Enide Studio):
Nodeclipse became #1 in Eclipse Top 10 NEW Plugins for 2013. It uses a modified V8 debugger (from Google Chrome Developer Tools for Java).
Nodeclipse is free open-source software released at the start of every month.
There are many possibilities...
node includes a debugging utility
node-inspector
Code editors / IDEs (see debug instructions for one of the following)
Atom,
VSCode
Webstorm
and more
Debug support is often implemented using the v8 Debugging Protocol or the newer Chrome Debugging Protocol.
IntelliJ works wonderfully for Node.js.
In addition, IntelliJ supports 'Code Assistance' well.
The NetBeans IDE has had Node.js support since version 8.1:
<...>
New Feature Highlights
Node.js Application Development
New Node.js project wizard
New Node.js Express wizard
Enhanced JavaScript Editor
New support for running Node.js applications
New support for debugging Node.js applications.
<...>
Additional references:
NetBeans Wiki / NewAndNoteworthyNB81.
Node.js Express App in NetBeans IDE, Geertjan-Oracle.
Use this commands
DEBUG_LEVEL=all node file.js
DEBUG=* node file.js
node file.js --inspect
ndb is an improved debugging experience for Node.js, enabled by Chrome DevTools
https://github.com/GoogleChromeLabs/ndb
node-debug -p 8888 scriptFileName.js
Is there a NodeJS plugin for Aptana Studio?
At least for NodeJS code-assist
And perhaps a way to create NodeJS project
And local NodeJS debugging
We have no NodeJS support currently. If this is something the community is interested in, it'd be helpful to file a feature request and vote it up: http://jira.appcelerator.org/secure/CreateIssue!default.jspa
Since we are built on eclipse, you should be able to try out the instructions for NodeJS debugging on Eclipse, found here: https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Using-Eclipse-as-Node-Applications-Debugger
As for special NodeJs projects, there's no notion of that. You would likely just create a normal Web project. We do have the concept of libraries that you can add to a project, wherein you could point to js files/libs for NodeJS. We also has special syntax files for describing JS libraries/APIs so it can be integrated into our content assist. A good example might be the ruble we have for jQuery which contains that file for two versions of the jQuery API. Here's the 1.6.2 version: https://github.com/aptana/javascript-jquery.ruble/blob/master/support/jquery.1.6.2.sdocml The bundle.rb up in the parent directory hooks up the file in the ruble/bundle.
My guess is that creating an analogous NodeJS ruble and building up an sdocml (xml) file that described the API would be the easiest way to get started. Sharing that on github and sending it to us would allow for others to contribute as well. There are docs for creating rubles here: http://wiki.appcelerator.org/display/tis/Creating+a+new+Ruble
UPDATE: Project URL is http://nodeclipse.github.io/
There is Nodeclipse.org effort. Current version is 0.11 see http://www.nodeclipse.org/history .
Recommended installation for Aptana users through Enide - Eclipse Node.js IDE
Features
Creating default structure for New Node Project and New Node Source File
JavaScript Syntax highlighting
Content Assistant
NPM support
Debugging - Breakpoint, Trace, etc... via modified Eclipse debugger plugin for V8
CoffeeScript support
Installing
Update Site : http://www.nodeclipse.org/updates/
Read also Hints (section Aptana Studio)
(source: nodeclipse.org)
Read http://www.nodeclipse.org/ for more & latest information.
I highly recommend using Sublime Text 2.
There are a few nodejs plugins as well as v8 javascript [Sublime v8] and standard ECMA-262.
This is not a direct answer to your question, but if you're looking for a good IDE for node.js, you should definitely try Microsoft WebMatrix 2. It basically does what you requested to do.
I was fed up of fighting with Aptana Studio and plugins and all this stuff... until I found out Sublime Text. Simple and wonderful.
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I am going to start building project in node.js (was working in PHP before), What is the IDE, Debugger and Helping Tools for node.js, to help improvement while coding ?
There are several IDEs which support Node.js natively:
Desktop-based IDEs
WebStorm - popular and extremely powerful IDE for coding web applications. $100 for commercial license, $50 personal, $25 academic, free for open source developers upon application approval. Can also debug Meteor.JS applications.
Komodo IDE
Cloud9 Local - You can install a local copy of cloud9 on desktop as well and work on a local directory as workspace, follow the instructions on github page. Be sure to disable incompatible plug-ins from config. It provides proper debugging as well.
Cloud-based IDEs
Cloud9 IDE - cloud-based IDE with native support for development of Node.js applications including debugging and other features.
Koding Koding offers you a free rootable VM with Node. Also you can work on the same code with your friends.
Other than these two you can use almost any code editor/IDE which simplifies JavaScript based development in general (for example with syntax highlighting, autocompletion or similar stuff) and use node with its built-in V8 debugger.
Microsoft just launch a cross platform IDE "Visual Studio Code" in Windows, Ubuntu and MacOSX. It could debug node.js. Check detail here.
Koding is another good choice. It comes preinstalled with Node.js, Vim and Emacs, has a great community of developers, among many other things. Another few notable features are:
Free virtual machine (VM) with Ubuntu, root access, apt-get, and many commonly used tools
Built-in Terminal with 256-color support
All languages, databases, and command-line tools are supported
Various file upload options such as Drag & Drop, Dropbox, Clone from Github, FTP and the ability to access them using SSH
Real-time code and terminal collaboration with integrated chat abilities
Visual Studio now supports full dev lifecycle for Node.js if you install the Node.js tools, linked below.
Allows for full debugging, intellisense, color coding, and more.
https://nodejstools.codeplex.com/
vim and unix are your IDE.
If you want debugging then there is node debug foo.js or ndb or node-inspector or use the V8 Debugger.
Another option could be Netbeans with the NodeJS tools (even though I'm not using it anymore these days since I've been using JetBrains products now to be honest).
What it gives you:
A Node project type
Clickable stack traces in the output window
A run with node action on Javascript files (and of course, the project)
Integration with Node Package Manager (npm) and a slick little UI for adding libraries
GUI for editing package.json files, and generating their standard contents
Ability to store machine-specific command-line arguments (excluded from version control if you use NetBeans' version control).
Ability to download Node's sources so the highlighted stack traces point somewhere
http://timboudreau.com/blog/read/NetBeans_Tools_for_Node_js
Also NetBeans 8.1 and 8.2 seem to have brought some features for Node.js developers (see here and here).
Eclipse is a good IDE for JavaScript.
This page https://portawiki.abnoctus.com/view/NodeIDE.html
details mixing eclipseJS with the google v8 debugger and a few node specific plugins
http://code.abnoctus.com/publish/binaries/node-launcher/
To build an IDE with support for editing JS with syntax highlights and some degree of code completion, executing node from the IDE, debugging in the IDE, unit testing with nodeunit and fetching dependencies via NPM.
I've tested several IDE's to develop and run node apps. But I'm feeling very confortable with Microsoft WebMatrix 2.0. It's a nice lightweight and free IDE that you can run Node. There's some templates for Express framework to get started. And you can run nodejs processes through IIS Express.
Nodeclipse has chromedevtools fixed for Node.js debugging.
Enide Studio 2014 comes with Nodeclipse, JSHint-eclipse, AngularJS and more plugins
(source: nodeclipse.org)
(source: nodeclipse.org)
http://www.nodeclipse.org/enide/studio/2014/
Personally, I'm partial to Cloud9's IDE though they've had a few issues lately with various upgrades, and the growing pains of online systems can be an issue.
WebStorm 4 is another option, though I haven't tried it, I did try the plugin in WS3, which wasn't too bad.
From Microsoft (of all places) there's WebMatrix 2 from Microsoft that seems to support Node.JS pretty well. I have discovered that you can actually edit node based js files within the Visual Studio 2012 beta and get intellisense/autocomplete for node scripts probably from webmatrix's developments. I've been using node as a build step for CSS/JS processing, and it's been working well for me.
Aptana Studio and others seem to be scrambling to add proper node support. Right now options are relatively limited, but getting better.
What framework are you using for the frontend? If you're already familiar with Node, you might as well try the open-source and increasingly popular Meteor.JS framework. Check out MeteorPad for literally a one-click IDE for Meteor apps.
You get a virtual machine with MongoDB on it and the Meteor server. A sample project is already loaded, and you can edit the server and client HTML, JS and CSS files. The resulting app runs in the right pane. Makes playing with Meteor super, super easy.
Node is a relatively new project so there is not widespread IDE support yet. However there actually is an online IDE called Cloud9 IDE that you might want to check out. Otherwise I suggest you use a local editor such as vim or emacs.
See how-to-debug-node-js-applications for more information on debugging.
GitHub's programmable text editor Atom has node.js integration.
Try Microsoft's https://code.visualstudio.com. Its awesome.
Facebook's Nuclide has a number of IDE-esque features including dynamic typechecking (via flow), in-code linking, auto complete, etc. It's based on GitHub's Atom so you can pick and choose Nuclide packages as you see fit.
WebStorm 3.0 does all this stuff.
It auto completes in a smart way, includes nice debugging and unit testing. It also include number of inspection for javascript, which is also pleasant.
Now RC version is available, but JetBrains assure that it'll be released soon.
I use IntelliJ's Webstorm: http://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm for it's advance auto-complete features and Node.js/NodeUnit templates.