how to execute a command line in node.js?

Question

I am using the actionhero framework, it can be started by command actionhero start. but the problem is that, my cloud node.js app runner can only run an app by specify a main file, such as index.js. How can I adapt my app to be started by a normal node.js file?

Answer 1

You have two choices

Choice #1 You can use child_process to execute any shell from your node.js application. See this How can I invoke Ruby from Node.js? as a reference. This method is a native node.js way. You don't need to install any external npm.

Choice #2 Use shelljs to execute such command. (https://github.com/arturadib/shelljs) The way it allows you execute the command is quite similar to using child_process but it makes your code a little neater.

Answer 2

You're looking at something like...

'use strict';
let child_process = require('child_process');
child_process.execFile('node', [`.\path\to\actionhero`, `start`], (err) => {
  if(err) console.log(err);
});