How to Debug Grunt Mocha Task?

Question

I am using WebStorm to run a grunt task. The debugger successfully stops at the breakpoint in the Gruntfile.js file, but not in my task file.

In the Gruntfile.js I register a task like this:

grunt.initConfig({
  ... configuration ...
});    
grunt.registerTask('myTask', ['mocha:myTask']);

When I set a breakpoint in the corresponding js file for the test 'myTask' it doesn't stop. How can I debug also the grunt tests?

--- UPDATE ---------------------------------------

so i tried all of your possible solutions, but it does not solve my problem!

I am able to debug the grunt script itself, this is where the debugger actually stops (either in WebStorm or node-inspector). Also a breakpoint in Gruntfile.js is working.

The problem is, that I am not able to debug the actual Grunt task itself, registered with grunt like this: grunt.registerTask('myTask', ['mocha:myTask']);

I am also able to debug the mocha test itself. But I want to debug a mocha test called from grunt task runner. Any ideas?

Maybe you can use this to help find where things are stopping: grunt.registerTask('debug', function(arg){ grunt.log.writeln(arg); }); Call the debug task and pass it a string. That string will be outputted to the console. — MBielski, Sep 25 '14 at 15:42
@MattBrennan I have updated my question... Do you mean that? — electronix384128, Sep 25 '14 at 18:03
@MBielski yes, i can debug that, no problem. but how can i actually debug the 'loopmocha:myTask'? — electronix384128, Sep 25 '14 at 18:07
Have you tried using a `debugger;` statement in your task file? I've found that often fixes issues like this in webstorm. — dc5, Sep 25 '14 at 18:23
@dc5 can you please give an example? Not sure how this is done ... — electronix384128, Sep 25 '14 at 20:15
In your task file, place the debugger statement where you would like the debugger to break: `debugger;` — dc5, Sep 25 '14 at 20:25
Have you considered using [gulp](http://gulpjs.com/)? Debugging your own javascript with a stack trace is a lot easier than some arbitrary configuration files. — Clev3r, Oct 01 '14 at 03:30

score 6 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:14

6

To run grunt task in debug, you need to pass the grunt task script to node-inspector:

node-debug $(Path \AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\grunt-cli\bin\grunt) task

Put a debugger; line in your task. node-inspector will then open a browser with debugging tools.

This link help you how its work grunt-node-inspector

Example: ChrisWren/grunt-node-inspector

Source: Stackoverflow Question

edited May 23 '17 at 12:14

Community

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answered Sep 26 '14 at 05:51

Prateek

6,785
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Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately it does not work. I placed "debugger;" on the first line of the task.js file, but its not even visible anymore in the node-inspector and it is also not stopping. – electronix384128 Sep 29 '14 at 13:01
@BenMarten Just take a look **[debugging-with-node-inspector](http://elegantcode.com/2011/01/14/taking-baby-steps-with-node-js-debugging-with-node-inspector/)** – Prateek Oct 08 '14 at 11:26

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 14 '14 at 17:59

Finally I am able to debug my mocha tasks! Thanks for all your answers and comments, but unfortunately I have to select my own answer, because that is the only one that worked for me.

Thanks to this video I found out what I was missing: http://vimeo.com/97561531

Basically it was two things:

Add a "debug-brk" option to grunt's mocha configuration:

grunt.initConfig({
    ...
        "options": {
            "mocha": {
                ...
                "debug-brk": (grunt.option('debug-brk')) ? "" : 0
            }
        }
}

Configure WebStorm's Debug Configuration like this:

How awesome that you found my video in solving your problem. Awesomer still, I was having an issue with debugging in web storm and newer versions of mocha. In googling for this issue I came across YOUR answer. Your small modification to the code I'd written earlier answered MY question… CHEERS!!!! — Matt, Dec 11 '14 at 22:39

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:53

1

If you happen to use the WebStorm IDE you can set up a task and then either run or debug it.

You can see the configuration for the command grunt jasmine_node_no_coverage in the screenshot. Please note that I installed grunt globally.

Configuration of the task in WebStorm

answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:53

analog-nico

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Do I understand correctly that you want to debug the code of grunt-mocha? If yes, then you need to set a break point in these sources. You should be able to find a line like `grunt.registerTask("mocha", function () { ... });`. The function is executed when you run a mocha task. – analog-nico Oct 08 '14 at 15:18
I only have a project that uses grunt with grunt-jasmine-node-coverage. And there it was stopping inside the function when I tried it out earlier today. I set the breakpoint in `./node_modules/grunt-jasmine-node-coverage/tasks/jasmine-node-task.js` on the first line of the function passed to registerTask: `grunt.registerTask("jasmine_node", "Runs jasmine-node.", function () { /* HERE */ var jasmine = require('jasmine-node'); /* ... */ });` – analog-nico Oct 08 '14 at 19:40
Yes sorry it is actually stopping. When I replace ['mocha:myTask'] with a real function and place the debugger within the function, it works, but not in mocha myTask.js file ... – electronix384128 Oct 08 '14 at 19:41

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 02 '14 at 08:04

0

Try out grunt-debug-task.

Its similar to node debugger. Just run the grunt debug taskname

I tried it out. It breaks sometimes but seems to work.

answered Oct 02 '14 at 08:04

Sami

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How to Debug Grunt Mocha Task?

--- UPDATE ---------------------------------------

4 Answers4

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