1. Overview
2. Setup - The basics of getting started with nodejs
   • Beginning with nodejs - Installation
3. Usage
4. Npm packages
5. Parameters
6. Limitations - OS compatibility, etc.
   • Module dependencies
7. Development

The nodejs module installs the Node.js package, (global) npm package provider and configures global npm configuration settings. A defined type nodejs::npm is used for the local installation of npm packages.

By default this module installs packages from the NodeSource repository on Debian and RedHat platforms. The NodeSource Node.js package includes the npm binary, which makes a separate npm package unnecessary.

On SUSE, ArchLinux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Gentoo, native packages are used. On Darwin, the MacPorts package is used. On Windows the packages are installed via Chocolatey.

• the Node.js package
• the npm package (if it exists as a separate package)
• the global npmrc file ($PREFIX/etc/npmrc)
• globally installed npm packages
• local npm packages installed in user-specified directories

To install Node.js and npm (using the NodeSource repository if possible):

class { 'nodejs': }

If you wish to install a Node.js 0.12.x release from the NodeSource repository rather than 0.10.x on Debian/RH platforms:

class { 'nodejs':
  repo_url_suffix => '0.12',
}

Or if you wish to install a Node.js 5.x release from the NodeSource repository: (4.x. is left as a exercise for the reader)

class { 'nodejs':
  repo_url_suffix => '5.x',
}

When a separate npm package exists (natively or via EPEL) the Node.js development package also needs to be installed as it is a dependency for npm.

Install Node.js and npm using the native packages provided by the distribution: (Only applicable for Ubuntu 12.04/14.04 and Fedora operating systems):

class { '::nodejs':
  manage_package_repo       => false,
  nodejs_dev_package_ensure => 'present',
  npm_package_ensure        => 'present',
}

Install Node.js and npm using the packages from EPEL:

class { '::nodejs':
  nodejs_dev_package_ensure => 'present',
  npm_package_ensure        => 'present',
  repo_class                => '::epel',
}

Two types of npm packages are supported:

• npm global packages are supported via the npm provider for the puppet package type.
• npm local packages are supported via the Puppet defined type nodejs::npm.

For more information regarding global vs local installation see the nodejs blog

The npm package provider is an extension of the Puppet package type which supports versionable and upgradeable. The package provider only handles global installation:

For example:

package { 'express':
  ensure   => 'present',
  provider => 'npm',
}

package { 'mime':
  ensure   => '1.2.4',
  provider => 'npm',
}

nodejs::npm is used for the local installation of npm packages. It attempts to support all of the npm install <package> combinations shown in the npm install docs except version ranges. The title simply must be a unique, arbitrary value.

• If using packages directly off the npm registry, the package parameter is the name of the package as published on the npm registry.
• If using scopes, the package parameter needs to be specified as '@scope_name/package_name'.
• If using a local tarball path, remote tarball URL, local folder, git remote URL or GitHubUser/GitRepo as the source of the package, this location needs to be specified as the source parameter and the package parameter just needs to be a unique, descriptive name for the package that is being installed.
• If using tags, the tag can be specified with the ensure parameter, and the package parameter needs to be match the name of the package in the npm registry.
• Package versions are specified with the ensure parameter, which defaults to present.
• Install options and uninstall options are also supported, and need to be specified as an array.
• The user parameter is provided should you wish to run npm install or npm rm as a specific user.
• If you want to use a package.json supplied by a module to install dependencies (e.g. if you have a NodeJS server app), set the parameter use_package_json to true. The package name is then only used for the resource name. source parameter is ignored.

nodejs::npm parameters:

• ensure: present (default), absent, latest, tag or version number.
• source: package source (defaults to a reserved value 'registry')
• target: where to install the package
• install_options: option flags invoked during installation such as --link (optional).
• uninstall_options: option flags invoked during removal (optional).
• npm_path: defaults to the value listed in nodejs::params
• user: defaults to undef
• use_package_json: read and install modules listed in package.json in target dir and install those in subdirectory node_modules (defaults to false)

Examples:

Install the express package published on the npm registry to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express from the npm registry':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

or the lazy way:

nodejs::npm { 'express':
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install the express package as user foo:

nodejs::npm { 'express install as user foo':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
  user    => 'foo',
}

Install a specific version of express to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express version 2.5.9 from the npm registry':
  ensure  => '2.5.9',
  package => 'express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install the latest version of express to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express latest from the npm registry':
  ensure  => 'latest',
  package => 'express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install express from GitHub to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express from GitHub':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  source  => 'strongloop/express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install express from a remote git repository to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express from a git repository':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  source  => 'git+https://[email protected]/strongloop/expressjs.git',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install express from a remote tarball to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express from a remote tarball':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  source  => 'https://server.domain/express.tgz',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install tagged packages:

nodejs::npm { 'my beta tagged package':
  ensure  => 'beta',
  package => 'mypackage',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install a package from the registry associated with a specific scope:

nodejs::npm { 'package_name from @scope_name':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => '@scope_name/package_name',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install express from a local tarball to /opt/packages:

nodejs::npm { 'express from a local tarball':
  ensure  => 'present',
  package => 'express',
  source  => '/local/repository/npm_packages/express.tgz',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Install express with --save-dev --no-bin-links passed to npm install:

nodejs::npm { 'express with options':
  ensure          => 'present',
  package         => 'express',
  install_options => ['--save-dev', '--no-bin-links'],
  target          => '/opt/packages',
}

Install dependencies from package.json:

nodejs::npm { 'serverapp':
  ensure           => 'present',
  target           => '/opt/serverapp',
  use_package_json => true,
}

Uninstall any versions of express in /opt/packages regardless of source:

nodejs::npm { 'remove all express packages':
  ensure  => 'absent',
  package => 'express',
  target  => '/opt/packages',
}

Uninstall dependencies from package.json:

nodejs::npm { 'serverapp':
  ensure           => 'absent',
  target           => '/opt/serverapp',
  use_package_json => true,
}

nodejs::npm::global_config_entry can be used to set/remove global npm configuration settings.

Note that when specifying a URL, such as registry, NPM will add a trailing slash when it stores the config. You must specify a trailing slash in your URL or the code will not be idempotent.

Examples:

nodejs::npm::global_config_entry { 'proxy':
  ensure => 'present',
  value  => 'http://proxy.company.com:8080/',
}

nodejs::npm::global_config_entry { 'dev':
  ensure => 'present',
  value  => 'true',
}

Delete the key from all configuration files:

nodejs::npm::global_config_entry { 'color':
  ensure => 'absent',
}

If a global_config_entry of proxy or https-proxy is specified, this will be applied before the local installation of npm packages using nodejs::npm.

Path to cmd.exe on Windows. Defaults to C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe. You may need to change this parameter for certain versions of Windows Server.

As per a Debian Technical Committee resolution (CTTE #614907), newer native packages on Debian/Ubuntu changed the path of the Node.js executable from /usr/bin/node to /usr/bin/nodejs. The nodejs-legacy package creates symlinks in the event that one is running applications that require the previous name. Setting this parameter to true recreates this behaviour. The Node.js package in the NodeSource repository already creates this symlink by default. This parameter defaults to false.

Whether to manage an external repository and use it as the source of the Node.js and npm package. Defaults to true.

When set to present or a version number, determines whether to install the Node.js package with debugging symbols, if available. Defaults to absent.

When set to present or a version number, determines whether to install the development Node.js package, if available. Defaults to absent.

When set to present or a version number, determines whether to install the Node.js package. Defaults to present.

When set to present or a version number, determines whether to install the separate npm package. When using the NodeSource repository, the Node.js package includes npm, so this value defaults to absent. This parameter will need to be set to present if you wish to use the native packages or are using the EPEL repository.

Path to the npm binary.

A string that contains the value for the key _auth that will be set in /root/.npmrc, as this value is not allowed to be set by nodejs::npm::global_config_entry. The default value is undef.

A hash that contains keys/values that will be set in /root/.npmrc, in the form of key=value. Useful for setting a http-proxy for npm only. The default value is undef.

Name of the Puppet class used for the setup and management of the Node.js repository. Defaults to ::nodejs::repo::nodesource (NodeSource). If using the Node.js and npm packages from the EPEL repository, set this to ::epel and make sure that the EPEL module is applied before the nodejs module in your Puppet node definitions.

Whether any repositories which hold sources are enabled. Defaults to false.

Whether to ensure that the repository exists, if it is being managed. Defaults to present and may also be set to absent.

Whether to perform APT pinning to pin the Node.js repository with a specific value. Defaults to false.

Whether to set a Yum priority for the Node.js repository. If using EPEL and the NodeSource repository on the same system, you may wish to set this to a value less than 99 (or the priority set for the EPEL repository) to ensure that the NodeSource repository will always be preferred over the Node.js packages in EPEL, should they both hold the same Node.js version. Defaults to absent.

Whether to use a proxy for this particular repository. For example, http://proxy.domain. Defaults to absent.

Password for the proxy used by the repository, if required.

User for the proxy used by the repository, if required.

Defaults to 0.10 which means that the latest NodeSource 0.10.x release is installed. If you wish to install a 0.12.x release or greater, you will need to set this value accordingly. This parameter is a just a reflection of the NodeSource URL structure - NodeSource might remove old versions (such as 0.10 and 0.12) or add new ones (such as 8.x) at any time.

The following are repo_url_suffix values that reflect NodeSource versions that were available on 2017-01-08:

• Debian 7 (Wheezy) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x
• Debian 8 (Jessie) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• Debian (Sid) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid) 0.10
• Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x
• Ubuntu 13.10 (Saucy) 0.10
• Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• Ubuntu 14.10 (Utopic) 0.10 0.12
• Ubuntu 15.04 (Vivid) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x
• Ubuntu 15.10 (wily) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x
• Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial) 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• Ubuntu 16.10 (Yakkety) 0.12 4.x 6.x 7.x
• RHEL/CentOS 5 0.10 0.12
• RHEL/CentOS 6 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• RHEL/CentOS 7 0.10 0.12 4.x 5.x 6.x 7.x
• Amazon Linux - See RHEL/CentOS 7
• Fedora 25 4.x 6.x 7.x

The USE flags to use for the Node.js package on Gentoo systems. Defaults to ['npm', 'snapshot'].

This module has received limited testing on:

• CentOS/RHEL 5/6/7
• Debian 7
• Ubuntu 10.04/12.04/14.04

The following platforms should also work, but have not been tested:

• Amazon Linux
• Archlinux
• Darwin
• Debian 8
• FreeBSD
• Gentoo
• OpenBSD
• OpenSuse/SLES
• Windows

This module is not supported on Debian Squeeze.

This modules uses puppetlabs-apt for the management of the NodeSource repository. If using an operating system of the Debian-based family, you will need to ensure that puppetlabs-apt version 2.x is installed.

If using CentoOS/RHEL 5, you will need to ensure that the stahnma-epel module is installed.

If using CentoOS/RHEL 5/6/7 and you wish to install Node.js from EPEL rather than from the NodeSource repository, you will need to ensure stahnma-epel is installed and is applied before this module.

If using Gentoo, you will need to ensure gentoo-portage is installed.

If using Windows, you will need to ensure that chocolatey-chocolatey is installed.

nodejs::npm has the ability to fetch npm packages from Git sources. If you wish to use this functionality, Git needs to be installed and be in the PATH.

Puppet Labs modules on the Puppet Forge are open projects, and community contributions are essential for keeping them great. We can’t access the huge number of platforms and myriad of hardware, software, and deployment configurations that Puppet is intended to serve.

We want to keep it as easy as possible to contribute changes so that our modules work in your environment. There are a few guidelines that we need contributors to follow so that we can have a chance of keeping on top of things.

Read the complete module contribution guide