Run function in script from command line (Node JS)

winhowes picture winhowes · Jun 11, 2015 · Viewed 175.2k times · Source

I'm writing a web app in Node. If I've got some JS file db.js with a function init in it how could I call that function from the command line?

Answer

LeeGee picture LeeGee · Apr 7, 2016

No comment on why you want to do this, or what might be a more standard practice: here is a solution to your question.... Keep in mind that the type of quotes required by your command line may vary.

In your db.js, export the init function. There are many ways, but for example:

module.exports.init = function () {
  console.log('hi');
};

Then call it like this, assuming your db.js is in the same directory as your command prompt:

node -e 'require("./db").init()'

To other readers, the OP's init function could have been called anything, it is not important, it is just the specific name used in the question.