Restart Node.js Server Automatically with Nodemon

Nodemon is a development utility for Node.js that monitors project files and automatically restarts the server whenever changes are detected, streamlining the development workflow.

• Automatically detects file changes and restarts the application
• Automatically restarts the application after code updates.
• Enhances development speed and efficiency and is intended for development use only.

Installation of Nodemon

Below are the following steps by which we can automatically restart the NodeJS server with Nodemon.

After creating an express application,

Step 1: Create the app.js file.

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const port = 3000;

// Simple route
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Hello, World!');
});

// Start the server
app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${port}`);
});

Step 2: Install Nodemon Globally

To install Nodemon globally on your system, run the following command:

npm install -g nodemon

Step 3: Create a Nodemon Script in package.json

To simplify running the server with Nodemon, add a script in the package.json file under the "scripts" section:

"scripts": {
    "start": "nodemon app.js"
}

This configuration runs app.js using Nodemon when you execute npm start.

Step 4: Run Your Project with Nodemon

Now, instead of running node app.js, you can start the server with Nodemon using:

npm start

Output

• Automatically restarts the server when changes are saved in app.js or other monitored files.
• Reflects code updates instantly without manual restarts.
• Improves development efficiency by providing immediate feedback.

Nodemon’s Benefits for Development

Here are some of the benefits of using Nodemon for your NodeJS development:

• Improved Workflow: Automatically restarts the server, saving development time.
• Real-time Updates: Detects file changes and reloads the application instantly.
• Flexibility: Offers configurable options to customize behavior.
• Speed: Reduces manual effort, allowing focus on coding and testing.
• Integration with package.json: Easily integrates using npm/yarn and script configuration.