How can I deploy node modules in a Meteor app on meteor.com?

Question

I have an application that uses the node twit module that is available via

npm install twit

I deployed the node module locally from .meteor/local/build/server/

So, it is visible at .meteor/local/build/server/node_modules/twit

I tried installing it at project root but the project did not find the module. Which led me to the above solution which works.

My application now runs fine locally. I am able to run and do everything and can interact with Twitter from my Meteor server side or client side depending on what I want to do. No crashes.

When I deploy to meteor.com through the command

meteor deploy [appname] --password

The application deploys successfully.

When I attempt to access the (app at anonistream.meteor.com)[anonistream.meteor.com] from a browser it fails and the logs contain this error.

[Mon May 07 2012 01:59:53 GMT+0000 (UTC)] WARNING
node.js:201
   throw e; // process.nextTick error, or 'error' event on first tick
         ^
Error: Cannot find module 'twit'
at Function._resolveFilename (module.js:332:11)
at Function._load (module.js:279:25)
at Module.require (module.js:354:17)
at require (module.js:370:17)
at app/server/server.js:2:12
at /meteor/containers/84162a7c-24e8-bf26-6fd8-e4ec13b2a935/bundle/server/server.js:111:21
at Array.forEach (native)
at Function.<anonymous>
 (/meteor/containers/84162a7c-24e8-bf26-6fd8-     e4ec13b2a935/bundle/server/underscore.js:76:11)
at /meteor/containers/84162a7c-24e8-bf26-6fd8-e4ec13b2a935/bundle/server/server.js:97:7
[Mon May 07 2012 01:59:53 GMT+0000 (UTC)] INFO STATUS running -> waiting
[Mon May 07 2012 01:59:53 GMT+0000 (UTC)] ERROR Application crashed with code: 1
[Mon May 07 2012 02:29:55 GMT+0000 (UTC)] INFO HIT / 24.94.158.145
[Mon May 07 2012 02:29:59 GMT+0000 (UTC)] INFO HIT /favicon.ico 24.94.158.145
[Mon May 07 2012 02:30:46 GMT+0000 (UTC)] INFO HIT / 24.94.158.145
[Mon May 07 2012 02:30:50 GMT+0000 (UTC)] INFO HIT /favicon.ico 24.94.158.145

Does anyone have any suggestions on how this might be accomplished?

Just checking...but is twit included in your `package.json` file? — rjz, May 07 '12 at 03:04
I wasn't aware I had to build a meteor package to include twit in my deploy. I will have to look into that to see if that is the case. I assumed that anything in the node_modules directly was pushed on a deploy. I am going to dig through the source tomorrow to see what I can find! Unless someone else posts the answer that is! — Steeve Cannon, May 07 '12 at 03:31
Honestly, I'm not sure either...looking forward to hearing what others have to say. — rjz, May 07 '12 at 03:33
Personally, I have a package.json for all my meteor projects now. However I only deploy to Heroku now (for advanced apps with node dependencies). Here's how: https://github.com/matb33/heroku-meteor-npm — matb33, Jun 01 '12 at 12:27

score 14 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 30 '13 at 23:57

14

As of Meteor 6.0, now we need to use Npm.require() instead. Additionally, we need to declare the module as global variables, since Meteor now has file-level scope.

  var path = Npm.require('path');
  var fs = Npm.require('fs');
  var base = path.resolve('.');
  var isBundle = fs.existsSync(base + '/bundle');
  var modulePath = base + (isBundle ? '/bundle/static' : '/public') + '/node_modules';
  MODULE_NAME = Npm.require(modulePath + '/MODULE_NAME'); // NOTE, this is going to be a global variable

answered Jun 30 '13 at 23:57

shao

311
4
9

Can you clarify where to put the Npm.require() statement within a meteor project? – supertrue Oct 15 '13 at 09:40
So when using npm packages in Meteor, you have to do it this way, instead of just using Meteor.require? If the npm module is in the public/node_modules folder, is the npm module available on both the client and server? Does this method of using npm modules lead to problems down the road? I am just confused as to what the best way to integrate npm modules into my project to use on the server. – Nearpoint Jul 02 '14 at 21:45
@supertrue: My comment is a bit late, but this is a sort of reply to the answer by spectrum (the accepted answer currently). So it can be in app/server/server.js. – Léo Lam Sep 10 '14 at 13:41

score 8 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 26 '12 at 21:25

8

finally, I wrote like this. it works both in local and meteor sever. thx Ian :D

install npm module inside "app/public":

    app/public# npm install MODULE_NAME

inside app/server/server.js:

Meteor.startup(function () {
    var require = __meteor_bootstrap__.require;
    var path = require('path');
    var base = path.resolve('.');
    var isBundle = path.existsSync(base + '/bundle');
    var modulePath = base + (isBundle ? '/bundle/static' : '/public') + '/node_modules';

    var MODULE_NAME = require(modulePath + '/MODULE_NAME');
});

edited Nov 26 '12 at 21:25

Community

1
1

answered Oct 04 '12 at 15:19

spectrum

744
8
7

Spectrum, are you able to provide any kind of example? I can't make it work. Everytime I make changes to the app folder it gets overwritten when meteor is restarting. – Martin Mar 03 '13 at 15:26
Alright, I got it working. Had to add this line: `var fs = require('fs');` and modify: `var isBundle = path.existsSync(base + '/bundle');` into `var isBundle = fs.existsSync(base + '/bundle');` – Martin Mar 03 '13 at 15:59
3

Note: since Meteor 0.6.0, `__meteor_bootstrap__.require` has been obsoleted by [Npm.require()](http://stackoverflow.com/a/15351543/1269037) – Dan Dascalescu Dec 22 '13 at 11:42
If you want to use external npm packages. Use Npm smart package(https://atmosphere.meteor.com/package/npm). It works like a charm :) – spectrum Feb 18 '14 at 15:52
This is the 2 year old way to do it. Please see the other answers. – Andrew Mao Jun 05 '14 at 20:10

score 7 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 11 '12 at 21:52

7

Answer found from JonathanKingston on meteor irc. Referred to meteoric project

Put node modules in the projects public directory.

Use code like this to make sure it loads.

var require = __meteor_bootstrap__.require;
var path = require("path");
var fs = require('fs');
var Twit;
var twitPath = 'node_modules/twit';

var base = path.resolve('.');
if (base == '/'){
  base = path.dirname(global.require.main.filename);   
}

var publicPath = path.resolve(base+'/public/'+twitPath);
var staticPath = path.resolve(base+'/static/'+twitPath);

if (path.existsSync(publicPath)){
  Twit = require(publicPath);
}
else if (path.existsSync(staticPath)){
  Twit = require(staticPath);
}
else{
  console.log('node_modules not found');
}

meteor deploy should work find after that, sill me for putting my node modules in the server dirs

edited Jun 11 '12 at 21:52

Community

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1

answered May 08 '12 at 09:51

Steeve Cannon

3,682
3
36
49

1

You left out the line of code which allows you to `require` on Meteor: `var require = __meteor_bootstrap__.require;`. This tripped me up for a bit, and I know a lot of people get pointed here from IRC. – Ryan Haywood Jun 10 '12 at 13:20
path.existsSync() is now fs.existsSync() – Pent Jan 08 '13 at 05:45
1

Note: since Meteor 0.6.0, `__meteor_bootstrap__.require` has been obsoleted by [Npm.require()](http://stackoverflow.com/a/15351543/1269037) – Dan Dascalescu Dec 22 '13 at 11:43

score 4 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

4

Just spent a half hour figuring out the "install npm module inside app/public step and thought I'd save the next person some time. From your app's home directory:

cd public
mkdir node_modules
npm install foo

By default, npm install foo installs "locally," but if there's no node_modules folder in your current directory then it moves up the directory tree looking for one. I was ending up with the package installing in $HOME/node_modules/foo instead of the local project. Fine for localhost, but not so much for deployment.

(Thanks to npm install locally for solving my root problem.)

edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

Community

1
1

answered Oct 27 '13 at 11:35

Nick Benes

1,334
15
14

3

Followup: A while later I found the meteorite package `npm` to do this type of thing, and it works like a charm. If you ended up here, you may want to check out the [Meteor Hacks](http://meteorhacks.com/complete-npm-integration-for-meteor.html) article on it. – Nick Benes Dec 17 '13 at 16:00

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 05 '14 at 01:41

2

This code worked for me with meteor 0.8.x and node_modules being installed in ./public of my app:

var path = Npm.require('path')
var fs = Npm.require('fs')
var base = path.resolve('.')
var isBundle = fs.existsSync(base + '/bundle')
var modulePath = base + (isBundle ? '/bundle/static' : '/../client/app') + '/node_modules/'

var twit  = Npm.require(modulePath+'rssparser')

It may also be a good idea to create packages.json file within ./public for easier updates/installs through npm.

Long live Meteor!

answered Jun 05 '14 at 01:41

flatroze

871
7
3

When running on my local I can just npm install in the root folder for my app and then use Meteor.require('package') But when uploading to Meteor.com testing servers I had to do it this way. Is this the same as using Meteor.require()? Have you run into any downsides? – Nearpoint Jul 02 '14 at 21:43

score 1 · Answer 6 · edited Nov 18 '15 at 01:50

1

Changed:

var modulePath = base + (isBundle ? '/bundle/static' : '/../client/app') + '/node_modules/'

to:

var modulePath = base + (isBundle ? '/bundle/static' : '/../web.browser/app') + '/node_modules/'

edited Nov 18 '15 at 01:50

Glen Selle

3,966
4
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answered Nov 17 '15 at 23:27

Jesper Ordrup

166
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1

INSANE! You hit at the right time exactly when I needed that – Vlad Holubiev Nov 17 '15 at 23:32

score 0 · Answer 7 · edited Oct 06 '12 at 10:34

0

You

base = base + "/bundle"

to get this to work.

edited Oct 06 '12 at 10:34

Sergey K.

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13
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answered Aug 14 '12 at 03:32

Ian Wojtowicz

9
1

How can I deploy node modules in a Meteor app on meteor.com?

7 Answers7

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