Node.js – Should I check in folder “node_modules” to Git when creating a Node.js app on Heroku

gitgitignoreherokunode.jsnpm

I followed the basic getting started instructions for Node.js on Heroku here:

https://devcenter.heroku.com/categories/nodejs

These instruction don't tell you to create a .gitignore node_modules, and therefore imply that folder node_modules should be checked in to Git. When I included node_modules in Git repository, my getting started application ran correctly.

When I followed the more advanced example at:

It instructed me to add folder node_modules to file .gitignore. So I removed folder node_modules from Git, added it to file .gitignore, and then redeployed. This time the deployed failed like so:

-----> Heroku receiving push
-----> Node.js app detected
-----> Resolving engine versions
       Using Node.js version: 0.8.2
       Using npm version: 1.0.106
-----> Fetching Node.js binaries
-----> Vendoring node into slug
-----> Installing dependencies with npm
       Error: npm doesn't work with node v0.8.2
       Required: node@0.4 || 0.5 || 0.6
           at /tmp/node-npm-5iGk/bin/npm-cli.js:57:23
           at Object.<anonymous> (/tmp/node-npm-5iGk/bin/npm-cli.js:77:3)
           at Module._compile (module.js:449:26)
           at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:467:10)
           at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
           at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
           at Module.require (module.js:362:17)
           at require (module.js:378:17)
           at Object.<anonymous> (/tmp/node-npm-5iGk/cli.js:2:1)
           at Module._compile (module.js:449:26)
       Error: npm doesn't work with node v0.8.2
       Required: node@0.4 || 0.5 || 0.6
           at /tmp/node-npm-5iGk/bin/npm-cli.js:57:23
           at Object.<anonymous> (/tmp/node-npm-5iGk/bin/npm-cli.js:77:3)
           at Module._compile (module.js:449:26)
           at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:467:10)
           at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
           at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
           at Module.require (module.js:362:17)
           at require (module.js:378:17)
           at Object.<anonymous> (/tmp/node-npm-5iGk/cli.js:2:1)
           at Module._compile (module.js:449:26)
       Dependencies installed
-----> Discovering process types
       Procfile declares types -> mongod, redis, web
-----> Compiled slug size is 5.0MB
-----> Launching... done, v9

Running "heroku ps" confirms the crash. OK, no problem, so I rolled back the change, added folder node_module back to the Git repository and removed it from file .gitignore. However, even after reverting, I still get the same error message on deploy, but now the application is running correctly again. Running "heroku ps" tells me the application is running.

What's the right way to do this? Include folder node_modules or not? And why would I still be getting the error message when I rollback? My guess is the Git repository is in a bad state on the Heroku side.

Best Answer

Second Update

The FAQ is not available anymore.

From the documentation of shrinkwrap:

If you wish to lock down the specific bytes included in a package, for example to have 100% confidence in being able to reproduce a deployment or build, then you ought to check your dependencies into source control, or pursue some other mechanism that can verify contents rather than versions.

Shannon and Steven mentioned this before but I think it should be part of the accepted answer.

Update

The source listed for the below recommendation has been updated. They are no longer recommending the node_modules folder be committed.

Usually, no. Allow npm to resolve dependencies for your packages.

For packages you deploy, such as websites and apps, you should use npm shrinkwrap to lock down your full dependency tree:

https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/shrinkwrap

Original Post

For reference, npm FAQ answers your question clearly:

Check node_modules into git for things you deploy, such as websites and apps. Do not check node_modules into git for libraries and modules intended to be reused. Use npm to manage dependencies in your dev environment, but not in your deployment scripts.

and for some good rationale for this, read Mikeal Rogers' post on this.

Source: https://docs.npmjs.com/misc/faq#should-i-check-my-node-modules-folder-into-git

Related Solutions

Git – How to link a folder with an existing Heroku app

Heroku links your projects based on the heroku git remote (and a few other options, see the update below). To add your Heroku remote as a remote in your current repository, use the following command:

git remote add heroku git@heroku.com:project.git

where project is the name of your Heroku project (the same as the project.heroku.com subdomain). Once you've done so, you can use the heroku xxxx commands (assuming you have the Heroku Toolbelt installed), and can push to Heroku as usual via git push heroku master. As a shortcut, if you're using the command line tool, you can type:

heroku git:remote -a project

where, again, project is the name of your Heroku project (thanks, Colonel Panic). You can name the Git remote anything you want by passing -r remote_name.

[Update]

As mentioned by Ben in the comments, the remote doesn't need to be named heroku for the gem commands to work. I checked the source, and it appears it works like this:

If you specify an app name via the --app option (e.g. heroku info --app myapp), it will use that app.
If you specify a Git remote name via the --remote option (e.g. heroku info --remote production), it will use the app associated with that Git remote.
If you specify no option and you have heroku.remote set in your Git config file, it will use the app associated with that remote (for example, to set the default remote to "production" use git config heroku.remote production in your repository, and Heroku will run git config heroku.remote to read the value of this setting)
If you specify no option, the gem finds no configuration in your .git/config file, and the gem only finds one remote in your Git remotes that has "heroku.com" in the URL, it will use that remote.
If none of these work, it raises an error instructing you to pass --app to your command.

Javascript – jQuery not define in bootstrap module

To use jquery plugins with npm/node you need to set the global jQuery variable before requiring your plugin [bootstrap in this case]:

global.jQuery = require('jquery');
require('bootstrap');