'How do I compile Typescript at Heroku postinstall?

Instead of uploading the precompiled dist directory, I want to compile src at server side instead.

Here are my scripts inside package.json:

"scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"No test specified\" && exit 0",
    "start": "node dist/app.js",
    "postinstall": "tsc"
  }

Here are the dependencies:

"dependencies": {
    "@types/express": "^4.11.1",
    "@types/pg": "^7.4.4",
    "@types/socket.io": "^1.4.31",
    "body-parser": "^1.18.2",
    "express": "^4.16.2",
    "pg": "^7.4.1",
    "socket.io": "^2.0.4",
    "tslint": "^5.9.1",
    "typescript": "^2.7.2"
  }

Since 'npm install will add the node_modules/.bin folder to the PATH environment variable during installation', Heroku should be able to call it directly.

But here is the error I get:

Building dependencies
       Installing node modules (package.json + package-lock)

       > [email protected] postinstall /tmp/build_afa42c7943d4b71d2b48a016ae3b9e50
       > tsc

       sh: 1: tsc: not found
       npm ERR! file sh
       npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
       npm ERR! errno ENOENT
       npm ERR! syscall spawn
       npm ERR! [email protected] postinstall: `tsc`
       npm ERR! spawn ENOENT
       npm ERR!
       npm ERR! Failed at the [email protected] postinstall script.
       npm ERR! This is probably not a problem with npm. There is likely additional logging output above.

       npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
       npm ERR!     /tmp/npmcache.LTxbD/_logs/2018-02-25T10_36_06_374Z-debug.log
-----> Build failed
typescriptherokucompilationtsc


Solution 1:[1]

You need to call tsc from an npm script. Otherwise Heroku tries to find a global dependency named tsc.

Create a new npm script in your package.json:

"tsc": "tsc"

now replace "postinstall": "tsc" with:

"postinstall": "npm run tsc"

Solution 2:[2]

Typescript should be installed as a devdependency

have web: node server.js in your procfile

make sure to add npm build as a postinstall script

Telling npm that typescript is installed locally will fix tsc not found issue, since npm is trying to find it globally on heroku.

like this.

"tsc": "./node_modules/typescript/bin/tsc",
"build": "tsc",
"postinstall": "npm run build",

Solution 3:[3]

Spent a while to deploy my simple typescript create-react-app to Heroku. Here what worked for me.

package.json - does not need postinstall at all

In the command line install buildpack for your application run: heroku buildpacks:add zidizei/typescript heroku buildpacks:add heroku/nodejs

You can also search for buildpacks run: heroku buildpacks:search typescript

My server looks like that (/root/server.js)

const express = require('express')
const app = express()
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000

app.use(express.static('build'));
app.listen(PORT, () => console.log(`Listening on port ${PORT}`))

package.json

 "scripts": {
    "start": "node server.js",
    "build": "react-scripts build",
    "test": "react-scripts test",
    "eject": "react-scripts eject"
  }

Also before pushing to heroku, do run 'npm run build'.

My solution wont work if you gonna use webpack dev server, it must be custom server, in my case it was EXPRESS.

Solution 4:[4]

just install typescript as dependency it will work

Solution 5:[5]

I installed typescript as devDependency and in Package.json:

"scripts": {
//other scripts
"build": "./node_modules/typescript/bin/tsc",
}

Sources

This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Overflow and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1 Shane
Solution 2 Frank HN
Solution 3
Solution 4 ppegu
Solution 5 Partha Paul

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