How do I run a node.js app as a background service?

Question

Since this post has gotten a lot of attention over the years, I\'ve listed the top solutions per platform at the bottom of this post.

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Original post

Answer 1

If you are running OSX, then the easiest way to produce a true system process is to use launchd to launch it.

Build a plist like this, and put it into the /Library/LaunchDaemons with the name top-level-domain.your-domain.application.plist (you need to be root when placing it):

    Label
    top-level-domain.your-domain.application

    WorkingDirectory
    /your/preferred/workingdirectory

    ProgramArguments
    
        /usr/local/bin/node
        your-script-file
    

    RunAtLoad
    

    KeepAlive
    

When done, issue this (as root):

launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/top-level-domain.your-domain.application.plist
launchctl start top-level-domain.your-domain.application

and you are running.

And you will still be running after a restart.

For other options in the plist look at the man page here: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/Manpages/man5/launchd.plist.5.html