Running Node Inspector Alongside Nodemon

Running Node Inspector Alongside Nodemon

If you're a software engineer or a developer who loves working with Node.js, you know the importance of tools like Node Inspector and Nodemon. Node Inspector is a powerful debugging tool that allows you to inspect and debug Node.js applications, while Nodemon helps in automatically restarting your Node.js application when changes are made.

In this article, we'll walk you through the process of running Node Inspector alongside Nodemon to streamline your debugging workflow and enhance your coding experience.

First things first, make sure you have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your system. You can easily check this by running the commands `node -v` and `npm -v` in your terminal. If these commands return version numbers, you're good to go!

Next, install Node Inspector and Nodemon globally on your system by running the following command:

npm install -g node-inspector nodemon

Once you have both tools installed, you're ready to start using them together. Simply navigate to your project directory in the terminal and run the following command:

nodemon --inspect-brk app.js

In this command, `app.js` should be replaced with the entry point of your Node.js application. The `--inspect-brk` flag tells Node to break before the first line of the script, which allows Node Inspector to attach and begin debugging.

After running the above command, you'll see a message similar to:

Debugger listening on ws://127.0.0.1:9229/6bc75f3b-6b98-4d5d-adf8-3123d871af70
For help, see: https://nodejs.org/en/devtools

This indicates that Node Inspector is now listening for debugging connections on the specified WebSocket address. You can copy the provided WebSocket address and paste it into your browser to open the Node Inspector user interface.

With Node Inspector up and running, you can set breakpoints, inspect variables, and step through your code just like you would in a traditional IDE. The real-time insights provided by Node Inspector can be invaluable in identifying and fixing bugs in your Node.js applications.

Now, whenever you make changes to your code and save the files, Nodemon will automatically restart your Node.js application, and Node Inspector will continue to be connected, allowing you to debug the updated code seamlessly.

By combining the powers of Node Inspector and Nodemon, you can supercharge your debugging process, improve your coding efficiency, and build robust Node.js applications with confidence.

In conclusion, running Node Inspector alongside Nodemon is a game-changer for Node.js developers looking to streamline their debugging workflow. Try out these tools in your next project and elevate your coding experience to the next level!