node-web-repl

0.0.5 • Public • Published

Node Web REPL

Screenshot

This npm is currently a bit rough, but already has aided some of my debugging efforts.

This npm adds a web-based command line to your Node.js apps. Use this to debug your apps, alter behavior on the fly, review in-app data structures, ruin everything, etc. You can event connect to your apps after they've been running for months and see how they're doing.

Demo

How to use:

var webrepl = require('node-web-repl');
// setup your app as normal
webrepl.createServer({
	username: 'admin',
	password: 'blob1010',
	port: 11911,
	host: '127.0.0.1'
});

You'll (hopefully) now have a running web-based REPL on port 11911! Connect and type in '1+2' to do some fun math, or 'globals' to browse the global object.

See tests/ for a full example. (More examples coming soon.)

Architecture notes

Right now Node Web REPL creates its own Express server instance, instead of plugging in to your existing routes. Motivation:

  • Your existing app (to which you are adding the REPL) may not use Express.
  • Separating the port numbers makes it safer against scanning (possibly).
  • I can't assume that your Express app is using the same view system that mine is.
  • Eventually, we may stop using Express entirely. Our needs are simple.

The Future

Generally, I'd like Node Web REPL to be the first thing you plug in to your app to start debugging once it goes live, and then what you use to build your app's internal dashboard (something every app should have).

  • Pass in custom UI elements like counters, scrollable messages (signups), etc.
  • Hook console.log so you can view your console output via a web browser
  • Allow you to pass in custom functions and data to be available in the repl (right now you can only access stuff descending from the global scope)
  • UI/UX cleanup - make it look slightly less like garbage, scrollbars, etc
  • Visual data browser (scope out 'global' and descend from there)
  • Profile on the fly
  • View Node.js's memory usage
  • Autocomplete
  • MySQL console?
  • Memcache console?
  • Activity log?

Ingredients

We use Node.js, Express, HTTP auth via express.basicAuth middleware, and Hogan for templating. jcubic-jquery.terminal is used for the type-in terminal code on the client side. Your input is sent via Ajax to the /api endpoint, which eval()'s you code and spits back a string.

Author

Written by Thomas Lackner (@tlack) and sponsored by .CO

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Install

npm i node-web-repl

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Version

0.0.5

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Collaborators

  • tlack