runtime-node-refresh (RnR) is a lightweight JavaScript utility designed to update Node.js environment variables (`process.env`) at runtime without requiring a server restart. Currently at version 1.0.7, it appears to have an infrequent release cadence given its focused scope as a 'tiny lib'. Its core mechanism relies on Node.js signals, specifically `SIGPIPE`, to communicate between different Node.js processes, enabling one process to trigger an update in another. This differentiation allows for dynamic configuration changes in long-running applications, such as adjusting log levels or feature flags without service interruption. It's particularly useful for production environments where restarts are costly, but crucially, it does not support Worker threads due to its reliance on inter-process signals.
npm install runtime-node-refreshVerified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
This quickstart demonstrates how to initialize `runtime-node-refresh` in a Node.js application and then trigger an environment variable update from a separate process using the `runtime-node-refresh` CLI tool.
Avoid using `runtime-node-refresh` for `process.env` updates that need to be visible or processed within Node.js Worker threads. Consider alternative configuration management strategies for multi-threaded applications.
Before integrating `runtime-node-refresh`, verify that your Node.js application does not have a custom `SIGPIPE` signal handler. If one exists, you may need to remove it or adjust its logic to allow RnR to function as intended.
Ensure the target Node.js application is running and has `RnR(() => { /* update logic */ });` correctly implemented. This callback registers the listener for refresh events.Check for any custom `process.on('SIGPIPE', ...)` listeners in your codebase. `runtime-node-refresh` expects `SIGPIPE` to be handled specifically by its internal mechanisms (Node.js ignores `SIGPIPE` by default). Remove or reconfigure conflicting listeners.No dependency data recorded yet.