Run `node` scripts using `nvm` and `crontab` without hardcoding the node version

README.md

Run node scripts using nvm and crontab without hardcoding the node version

cronjob.env.sh

#!/bin/bash

# NVM needs the ability to modify your current shell session's env vars,
# which is why it's a sourced function

# found in the current user's .bashrc - update [user] below with your user! 
export NVM_DIR="/home/[user]/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm

# uncomment the line below if you need a specific version of node
# other than the one specified as `default` alias in NVM (optional)
# nvm use 4 1> /dev/null

crontab -e

# paths can be relative to the current user that owns the crontab configuration

# NVM should be sourced here!
# otherwise `$(which node)` in `script.sh` won't work!
*/1 * * * *     (. ~/path/cronjob.env.sh; ~/path/script.sh >> ~/path/file.log; )

# alternatively the node version can be specified here
*/1 * * * *     (. ~/path/cronjob.env.sh; nvm use 4 1> /dev/null; ~/path/script.sh >> ~/path/file.log; )

script.sh

#!/bin/bash

# paths can be relative to the current user that owns the crontab configuration

# $(which node) returns the path to the current node version
# either the one specified as `default` alias in NVM or a specific version set above
# executing `nvm use 4 1> /dev/null` here won't work!
$(which node) ~/path/script.js

script.js

console.log(process.version)

cronjob.env.sh

#!/bin/bash

# NVM needs the ability to modify your current shell session's env vars,
# which is why it's a sourced function

# found in the current user's .bashrc - update [user] below with your user! 
export NVM_DIR="/home/[user]/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm

# uncomment the line below if you need a specific version of node
# other than the one specified as `default` alias in NVM (optional)
# nvm use 4 1> /dev/null

script.js

console.log(process.version)

script.sh

#!/bin/bash

# paths can be relative to the current user that owns the crontab configuration

# $(which node) returns the path to the current node version
# either the one specified as `default` alias in NVM or a specific version set above
# executing `nvm use 4 1> /dev/null` here won't work!
$(which node) ~/path/script.js