Inspect an Express.js app that uses import

Question

I have an app that contains the following in index.js:

import express from 'express';
import data from './data/data.json';

const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

How can I access the data variable for testing purposes?

This answer given on SO (node -i -e "$(< index.js)") returns the following error:

import express from 'express';
        ^^^^^^^

SyntaxError: Unexpected identifier

I'm on Node 10.8 and Express 4.16.3.

In Rails, you're given an interactive console (by running rails console) where you can "play around" with the environment (db et al).

Rajan Lagah · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-08T18:14:20.730

2

This is because that import statement come later so not get identified by compilers/browsers.
You can use babel as transpiler https://babeljs.io/ or try this

var express = require('express');
var data = require('./data/data.json');

const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

Edit

Make your package.json file look like this (install packages and change script by adding babel-node)

    {.....
      "scripts": {
      ....
      "start": "babel-node Server.js"
      ...  
   },
"devDependencies": {
    "babel-cli": "^6.8.0",
    "babel-core": "6.8.0",
    "babel-loader": "6.2.4",
    "babel-preset-es2015": "6.6.0",
    "babel-preset-react": "6.5.0",
    "babel-preset-react-hmre": "1.1.1",
     .....}

create .babelrc file in root directory on project (where node_modules of project are)

{
"presets": ["react","es2015"],
"env": {
    "development": {
                                    "presets": [
                                                            "react-hmre"
                                                            ]
                                }
                }
}

and run

npm start

edited Sep 08 '18 at 18:14

answered Sep 08 '18 at 17:52

Rajan Lagah

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Thank you! Do you have a suggestion how I would use babel as a transpiler to get the import working? – Fellow Stranger Sep 08 '18 at 17:55
@ Fellow Stranger are you using node.js? – Rajan Lagah Sep 08 '18 at 17:56
Yes, I'm on Node 10.8 and Express 4.16.3. – Fellow Stranger Sep 08 '18 at 17:56
1

hold my bear, let me try. – Rajan Lagah Sep 08 '18 at 17:57
@ Fellow Stranger I edit the ans. You can now use import in your project. If still any error then ask – Rajan Lagah Sep 08 '18 at 18:10

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 08 '18 at 18:04

0

const express = require('express');
const data = require('./data/data.json');

const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

I think this should work.

answered Sep 08 '18 at 18:04

Nikhil Namal

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Inspect an Express.js app that uses import

2 Answers2