Installing Javascript Runtime
In this chapter we will install NodeJS using NodeJS Moonshine Plugin. We will also see an alternative to NodeJS.
Why Javascript Runtime?
Rails apps need a javascript runtime to compile Coffeescript to javascript, compress and minify javascript.
Steps
Step 1
plugger install git://github.com/iros/moonshine_nodejs.git
Step 2
Add:
recipe :nodejs
to the application_manifest.rb. This will fail gloriously.
Step 3
Install it on the server manually by:
apt-get install python-software-properties
apt-add-repository ppa:chris-lea/node.js
apt-get update
apt-get install nodejs
Check the NodeJS version:
node -v
should show:
v0.10.20
Alternative to NodeJS
Uninstall the manually installed nodejs on Ubuntu. Since the server is managed by Moonshine, manual installation is a bad idea.
Steps
Step 1
sudo apt-get remove nodejs
Step 2
Add:
gem 'execjs'
gem 'therubyracer'
to the Gemfile. Run bundle install. This will install libv8, ref and therubyracer gems.
Step 3
Deploy using Capistrano.
Summary
In this chapter, you learned how to install a Javascript runtime such as NodeJS or ExecJS on the server.