Heroku node.js app runs locally but crashes remotely - node.js

Question

I have a node.js application which is not a web application.
Here's my package.json:
{
"name": "myapp-backend",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "MyApp PubNub backend",
"main": "app.js",
"scripts": {
"test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
},
"repository": {
"type": "git",
"url": "https://git.heroku.com/myapp.git"
},
"keywords": [
"backend"
],
"author": "Pete Gu",
"license": "ISC",
"dependencies": {
"pubnub": "^4.3.3"
},
"engines": {
"node" : "6.9.2"
}
}
Contents of Procfile:
app: node app.js
It runs when I run heroku local. However, after pushing the code and checking logs with heroku logs I see this:
2016-12-22T06:07:01.276053+00:00 app[api]: Deploy fb193d3 by user xxxxx#xxxx.com
2016-12-22T06:07:01.477131+00:00 heroku[slug-compiler]: Slug compilation started
2016-12-22T06:07:01.477136+00:00 heroku[slug-compiler]: Slug compilation finished
2016-12-22T06:07:01.276053+00:00 app[api]: Release v13 created by user gpeetonn#gmail.com
2016-12-22T06:07:01.507095+00:00 heroku[web.1]: State changed from crashed to starting
2016-12-22T06:07:02.759643+00:00 heroku[web.1]: Starting process with command `npm start`
2016-12-22T06:07:06.003266+00:00 heroku[web.1]: Process exited with status 1
2016-12-22T06:07:06.016232+00:00 heroku[web.1]: State changed from starting to crashed
2016-12-22T06:07:06.017114+00:00 heroku[web.1]: State changed from crashed to starting
2016-12-22T06:07:05.872484+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! Linux 3.13.0-105-generic
2016-12-22T06:07:05.872909+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! argv "/app/.heroku/node/bin/node" "/app/.heroku/node/bin/npm" "start"
2016-12-22T06:07:05.873173+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! node v6.9.2
2016-12-22T06:07:05.873421+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! npm v3.10.9
2016-12-22T06:07:05.877486+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! missing script: start
2016-12-22T06:07:05.875800+00:00 app[web.1]:
2016-12-22T06:07:05.877738+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR!
2016-12-22T06:07:05.877884+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
2016-12-22T06:07:05.878031+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
2016-12-22T06:07:05.892349+00:00 app[web.1]:
2016-12-22T06:07:05.892997+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! /app/npm-debug.log
2016-12-22T06:07:05.892655+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
2016-12-22T06:07:07.532860+00:00 heroku[web.1]: Starting process with command `npm start`
2016-12-22T06:07:10.603753+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! Linux 3.13.0-105-generic
2016-12-22T06:07:10.604065+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! argv "/app/.heroku/node/bin/node" "/app/.heroku/node/bin/npm" "start"
2016-12-22T06:07:10.604260+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! node v6.9.2
2016-12-22T06:07:10.604476+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! npm v3.10.9
2016-12-22T06:07:10.606525+00:00 app[web.1]:
2016-12-22T06:07:10.607621+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! missing script: start
2016-12-22T06:07:10.607822+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR!
2016-12-22T06:07:10.607900+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
2016-12-22T06:07:10.607998+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
2016-12-22T06:07:10.618207+00:00 app[web.1]:
2016-12-22T06:07:10.618415+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
2016-12-22T06:07:10.618645+00:00 app[web.1]: npm ERR! /app/npm-debug.log
2016-12-22T06:07:10.718608+00:00 heroku[web.1]: State changed from starting to crashed
2016-12-22T06:07:10.710362+00:00 heroku[web.1]: Process exited with status 1
...which completely doesn't make sense to me - why heroku tries to launch app using npm start instead of reading Procfile?

Answer 1

Heroku seems to be trying to start a web dyno, and doesn't seem to know about your Procfile.
Are you sure you added your Procfile to your git repo?
Anyway, try this:
heroku ps:scale web=0
heroku ps:scale app=1
You could also add "start": "node app.js" in the "scripts" section of your package.json.

Answer 2

I can see the error missing script: start So you need to add
"scripts": {
"start": "node bin/xxx" //your main file name
}
add this to your package.json.