Registry / devops / start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin

start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin

library2.2.5jsnpmunverified

This Webpack plugin (current stable version 2.2.5) automatically starts a Node.js server after Webpack's build process completes, primarily intended for development workflows. It streamlines the development loop by restarting the server on code changes, enabling features like Hot Module Reloading (HMR) for server-side code. The plugin allows configuration of the server's entry point via the `name` option, and supports passing arguments to both Node.js and the script itself for debugging or custom behaviors. While its name suggests a specific affinity for NestJS applications, its core functionality is broadly applicable to any Node.js server bundled with Webpack, acting as a convenient orchestrator for development environments. It helps eliminate manual server restarts during active development. However, it's critical to note that version 2.2.5 was last published approximately eight years ago, indicating the project is effectively abandoned and may not be compatible with recent versions of Webpack (v5+) or Node.js.

devops

npm install start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · START-SERVER-NESTJ

start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin

devopsjavascriptv2.2.5

Install

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Import

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Disk

—

Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

StartServerPlugin

✓ import StartServerPlugin from 'start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin';

✗ import { StartServerPlugin } from 'start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin';

The plugin is a default export, typically instantiated directly.

StartServerPlugin (CommonJS)

✓ const StartServerPlugin = require('start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin');

For CommonJS environments, the plugin class is directly exported via `module.exports`.

Webpack HMR modules

✓ entry: ['webpack/hot/poll?100', options.entry]

✗ entry: options.entry

For Hot Module Reloading (HMR), specific Webpack runtime modules like 'webpack/hot/poll' or 'webpack/hot/signal' must be included in your server bundle entry points.

This quickstart demonstrates configuring Webpack to use `start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin` for a Node.js server with TypeScript, including setup for Hot Module Reloading and Node.js debugger integration. This setup is for a typical NestJS application server file located at './src/server.ts' and outputs to 'dist/server.js'.

import StartServerPlugin from "start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin"; import nodeExternals from 'webpack-node-externals'; import webpack from 'webpack'; export default { // Target node for server-side bundling target: 'node', mode: 'development', entry: { server: ['webpack/hot/poll?100', './src/server.ts'], // Include HMR module }, output: { filename: 'server.js', path: require('path').resolve(__dirname, 'dist'), }, externals: [ nodeExternals({ allowlist: ['webpack/hot/poll?100'] }), // Whitelist HMR module ], module: { rules: [ { test: /\.tsx?$/, use: 'ts-loader', exclude: /node_modules/, }, ], }, resolve: { extensions: ['.tsx', '.ts', '.js'], }, plugins: [ // Only use this in DEVELOPMENT new StartServerPlugin({ name: 'server.js', nodeArgs: ['--inspect'], // allow debugging args: ['--env', 'development'], // pass args to script signal: 'SIGUSR2', // signal to send for HMR keyboard: true, // Allow typing 'rs' to restart the server. }), new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin(), // Enable HMR ], };

Debug

Known issues

breakingThe package version 2.2.5 was last published approximately eight years ago. This makes it highly probable that the plugin is incompatible with modern Webpack versions (e.g., v5+) and recent Node.js LTS releases, potentially causing build failures or unexpected runtime behavior.

fix

Consider using actively maintained alternatives like `run-script-webpack-plugin` or directly managing server restarts with `nodemon` or similar tools, especially for production or modern projects.

affects: All versions >=2.2.5 (due to lack of updates)

gotchaThis plugin is explicitly designed for and should only be used in development environments. Using it in production could lead to resource overhead, unexpected restarts, or security vulnerabilities.

fix

Ensure the plugin is conditionally included in your Webpack configuration (e.g., `if (isDevelopment) { plugins.push(new StartServerPlugin(...)); }`) and removed from production builds.

affects: All versions

gotchaProper configuration for Hot Module Reloading (HMR) requires careful setup, including adding HMR runtime modules to your entry points, whitelisting them from `webpack-node-externals` (if used), and setting the `signal` option. Incorrect setup will result in HMR not functioning.

fix

Ensure your Webpack entry includes `webpack/hot/poll?100` or `webpack/hot/signal`, that `webpack-node-externals`' `allowlist` includes these HMR modules, and that `new StartServerPlugin({ signal: 'SIGUSR2' })` is configured. Also, make sure `new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin()` is present in your plugins array.

affects: All versions

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: Name 'server.js' not found in Webpack assets.

The `name` option passed to `StartServerPlugin` does not match any of the entry names or output filenames generated by your Webpack configuration.

fix

Verify that the `name` property in `new StartServerPlugin({ name: 'your-output.js' })` exactly matches the `output.filename` or an entry key from your Webpack config's `entry` object (e.g., `entry: { server: './src/main.ts' }` should use `name: 'server.js'` if `output.filename` defaults to `[name].js`).

HMR updates are not applying or server is restarting completely instead of hot-reloading.

Hot Module Reloading is misconfigured. Common issues include missing HMR entry modules, `webpack-node-externals` bundling HMR modules, or the `signal` option not being set in the plugin configuration.

fix

Review your `entry` array to include `webpack/hot/poll?100` (or `webpack/hot/signal`), ensure `webpack-node-externals` has an `allowlist` for HMR modules, and set `signal: 'SIGUSR2'` in `StartServerPlugin` options. Also, confirm `new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin()` is enabled.

Webpack compilation fails or runtime errors occur with newer Webpack/Node.js versions.

The plugin is effectively abandoned, with its last update being eight years ago, leading to potential incompatibilities with modern Webpack API changes, Node.js features, or internal module structures.

fix

For projects requiring modern Webpack (v5+) or Node.js versions, it is strongly advised to migrate to an actively maintained solution like `run-script-webpack-plugin` or to manage server restarts manually with tools like `nodemon` or custom scripts.

Upgrade

Version history

2.2.5latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

webpackrequiredCore peer dependency for the plugin to function within a Webpack build.

webpack-node-externalsoptionalCommonly used in conjunction with this plugin for server-side HMR, to prevent bundling Node.js modules and manage external dependencies.

Agent activity

7 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/douglasgc/start-server-webpack-plugin ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/start-server-nestjs-webpack-plugin ↗