NodeJS - config does not load configuration file

Question

I am using the config module for NodeJS. The configuration files are copied in the output direction properly. However, the config module still does not load them.

import config from 'config';

// Prints "undefined"
console.log(config);

The configuration files are in the config sub-directory:

+ config
  > default.json
  > development.json

Chris Adams Chris Adams · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-30T12:48:22

In your example, you are only 'requiring' the config package. You haven't actually asked for it to be loaded.

Typical use of the loading of config is based on the NODE_ENV value. This describes the environment you are running the node app under. E.g. production, development etc.

You can set the NODE_ENV value from the command line. E.g.

export NODE_ENV=development; node ./src/app.js

Then, in your code, you then assign an element from your config file into a var or constant. E.g.

const dbconfig = config.get('dbConfig');

So, using the below file as an example...

In /config/development.json

{
  "dbConfig": {
      "user": "some-user",
      "password": "somePassword",
      "connectString": "server:port/schema"
}

In the file you're trying to reading the config into...

import config from 'config';

const dbconfig = config.get('dbConfig');
console.log ("User is " + dbConfig.user); // should print 'User is some-user'

Don't forget to set the NODE_ENV value so that config knows what file to read from...

export NODE_ENV=development; node ./src/app.js

or, using your example

export NODE_ENV=default; node ./src/app.js

NodeJS - config does not load configuration file

1 Answers