Auto-reload for Nodejs with TypeScript

I started using TypeScript last August since I joined the team and the team used TypeScript.

My co-worker recommended me to watch one youtube video. I forgot the title... I will put the link if I remember it.

The video was a kind of old one, but it was still useful to understand the overview of TypeScript. At the time I was like "Oh okay, seems legit and pretty nice."

Then started using it for the project and immediately I was like what the hell ?????, are you serious ???? I don't like you, TypeScript.

However, I'm using it because of my job 😂, but I have used it for my personal project. I still need to research when TS says something to me via Terminal, but now I kind of like it.

In this post, I will show you how to use hot-reload for nodejs project with TypeScript.

Step 1 Create a nodejs project with Typescript.

Microsoft has a starter kit
https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript-Node-Starter

If you think that is too much, you can use my template.
https://github.com/koji/typescript/tree/master/node_typescript

Step 2 Install nodemon

$ npm install -g nodemon
$ yarn add global nodemon

Step 3 Install ts-node

$ npm i install -g ts-node # if you prefer npx, you don't need to install it globally
$ yarn add global ts-node

Step 4 Create nodemon.json

We need to create nodemon.json file since nodemon is only working with .js.

{
  "watch": ["src"],
  "ext": "ts",
  "exec": "ts-node ./src/index.ts"
}

Step 5 Run nodemon

$ nodemon

Happy coding with TypeScript!!!

Comments

[Dor Shinar]

Thanks for the article, but as far as I know this is what's known as cold reload - nodemon would simply shut down and restart your app on every change, causing a loss of state.

[0xkoji]

oh, you are right. thanks!
will change the title

[Weslley Rocha]

Well, that's one library called ts-node-dev that makes the reload for you, just call it like ts-node and you should be fine.

[0xkoji]

@Uéslu, thank you for sharing the info. ts-node-dev looks good!

[Henning Dieterichs]

You should check out my library @hediet/node-reload that brings much more flexible hot reload to typescript node apps!
It can even restart single function calls!