Installing NPM devDependencies via platform hooks on EB made easy

At some point, you may need to install npm devDependencies on your Elastic Beanstalk (EB) environment. This can be a bit tricky if you're new to EB, but with the help of platform hooks, you can make the process a lot easier.

In this article, we'll walk you through the steps of installing npm devDependencies on your EB environment using platform hooks. We'll also provide some tips and best practices to help you get started.

What are Platform Hooks?

Platform hooks are scripts that run automatically at various points in the deployment process. They can be used to perform tasks such as installing dependencies, running tests, and building your application. Platform hooks are written in any scripting language and can be added to your application's source code.

Installing NPM DevDependencies

To install npm devDependencies on your EB environment, you can use the postdeploy platform hook. This hook is run after your application has been deployed, but before the application is started.

Here's an example of how to use the postdeploy hook to install npm devDependencies:

.platform/hooks/postdeploy/01_install_npm_dev_deps.sh:
#!/bin/bash
cd /var/app/current
npm install --only=dev

In this example, we're using the npm install --only=dev command to install npm devDependencies. This command will install all the packages listed in the devDependencies section of your package.json file.

You can also use the postdeploy hook to run any other commands you need to install and configure your npm devDependencies. For example, you might need to run a build script to build your application. You can do this by adding the following line to your postdeploy hook:

npm run build

Best Practices

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when installing npm devDependencies on your EB environment:

• Make sure your postdeploy hook is executable. You can do this by running the following command:

chmod +x .platform/hooks/postdeploy/01_install_npm_dev_deps.sh

• Test your postdeploy hook locally before deploying it to your EB environment. This will help you catch any errors and make sure your hook is working as expected.
• Keep your postdeploy hook simple and focused. If you need to perform a lot of tasks, consider breaking them up into multiple hooks. This will make your code easier to read and maintain.
• Make sure your postdeploy hook is idempotent. This means that it should be able to run multiple times without causing any issues. This is important because your hook may be run multiple times during the deployment process.

In this article, we've shown you how to install npm devDependencies on your EB environment using platform hooks. By following the steps outlined in this article, you'll be able to automate the process of installing and configuring your npm devDependencies, making your EB deployments more efficient and reliable.

References