How do I run a node script through Grunt? - node.js

Question

I am looking to run a node command through my gruntfile. I just need to run:
node index.js
as the first task before any other tasks. I tried searching around but haven't found the answer. I believe it might be something simple but I am not sure how. Do I need to load in nmp tasks?
This is how my Gruntfile looks like:
"use strict";
module.exports = function(grunt) {
// Project configuration.
grunt.initConfig({
jshint: {
all: [
'Gruntfile.js'
],
options: {
jshintrc: '.jshintrc',
},
},
// Before generating any new files, remove any previously-created files.
clean: {
tests: ['dist/*']
},
// Configuration to be run (and then tested).
mustache_render: {
json_data: {
files: [
{
data: 'jsons/offer.json',
template: 'offers.mustache',
dest: 'dist/offers.html'
},
{
data: 'jsons/profile.json',
template: 'profile.mustache',
dest: 'dist/profile.html'
}
]
}
}
});
// These plugins provide necessary tasks.
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-watch');
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-jshint');
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-clean');
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-mustache-render');
// Whenever the "test" task is run, first clean the "tmp" dir, then run this
// plugin's task(s), then test the result.
grunt.registerTask('default', ['clean', 'jshint', 'mustache_render']);
};
I want to run "node index.js" before the 'clean' task.

Answer 1

The standard way of doing this is to use the grunt-run task.
Do:
npm install grunt-run --save-dev
And in your grunt file:
grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-run');
And then some config (from the documentation):
grunt.initConfig({
run: {
options: {
// Task-specific options go here.
},
your_target: {
cmd: 'node',
args: [
'index.js'
]
}
}
})
Then you change the task registration to be this:
grunt.registerTask('default', ['run', 'clean', 'jshint', 'mustache_render']);