Before we proceed with integrating MongoDB and Redis into our backend stack, it’s a good idea to set up an IDE for our application. My recommendation is Visual Studio Code (VSCode).
If you’re looking for an awesome code editor to help you tackle your TypeScript projects, I highly recommend VSCode. This free and open-source editor is perfect for TypeScript development. It offers loads of features specifically designed to help you with your TypeScript development needs. These include:
You can download and install VSCode from the official website. Additionally, you can learn about TypeScript support in Visual Studio Code at this link.
Debugging is a critical phase in the application development lifecycle, and setting up a robust debugging environment is key to efficiently resolving issues. In VSCode, this is facilitated through the use of a launch configuration that instructs the IDE on how to manage the debugging process.
The launch configuration in VSCode is defined in a launch.json file, located in the .vscode folder at the root of your project. This file specifies how the debugger should behave and includes settings such as the type of debugger, the program entry file, and configuration for handling source maps.
To set up your TypeScript debugging environment, follow these steps:
Create a Launch Configuration:
.vscode folder.launch.json file if one doesn’t already exist.Configure the launch.json:
Add the following configuration to the file:
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"type": "node",
"request": "launch",
"name": "Debug TypeScript Server",
"runtimeExecutable": "npm",
"runtimeArgs": ["run", "dev"],
"console": "integratedTerminal",
"internalConsoleOptions": "neverOpen",
"skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**", "node_modules/**"],
"sourceMaps": true,
"smartStep": true
}
]
}This configuration includes:
"type": This property specifies the type of debugger to use. For Node.js, the type is "node"."request": This property specifies the request type. "launch" means the debugger should launch the program."name": This property defines a name for the configuration which will appear in the dropdown menu of the Debug pane."runtimeExecutable": This property specifies an absolute path to the runtime executable to be used. Here, we use "npm" to run npm scripts."runtimeArgs": This property specifies an array of command-line arguments passed to the runtime executable. Here, we run the "dev" npm script."console": This property determines where to display the debug output. "integratedTerminal" means the output will display in VSCode’s terminal."internalConsoleOptions": This property controls whether the internal debug console should automatically open when a session starts."skipFiles": This property specifies an array of file or folder names, or glob patterns, to skip when debugging. Here, we skip anything in the <node_internals> (internal Node.js modules) and node_modules directories (third-party packages)."sourceMaps": This property specifies whether the debugger should use JavaScript source maps (.map files) during debugging. Source maps are information files that map the generated JavaScript code back to the original TypeScript code. We will instruct TypeScript to generate these source maps in the next step."smartStep": This property specifies whether the debugger should automatically step through generated code that cannot be mapped back to the original source.Ensure Source Map Generation:
tsconfig.json to include "sourceMap": true. This setting ensures that the tsc (TypeScript compiler) and ts-node generate corresponding .map files for your .ts files, which are crucial for debugging.With the launch configuration in place, you are now ready to debug your TypeScript application in VSCode:
Set Breakpoints: Open your server.ts file and click on the left margin next to the code lines to set breakpoints.
Start Debugging: Open the Debug panel in VSCode, select “Debug TypeScript Server” from the dropdown, and click the green play button or press F5 to start debugging.
VSCode will execute your TypeScript server in debug mode, pausing at any breakpoints you’ve set, allowing you to step through your code, inspect variables, and utilize various debugging tools.
With these steps, you’ve effectively configured VSCode not only as your development environment but also as a debugging tool, making your development process smoother and more productive. In our next step, we will integrate MongoDB into our Node.js and Express application to persist data and enhance our backend functionality. Stay tuned!