app.coffee

# app.coffee

require 'express'

class Server
  constructor: ->
    @app    = express()
    @server = http.createServer(@app)
    @io     = SocketIO.listen @server, logger: @logger
    @configure_app()
  
  start: =>
    @server.listen 3000
    process.send? status: 'started' # if send is defined, we are inside the fork
    
  configure_app: =>
    ...

login_page_spec.coffee

# spec/requests/login_page_spec.coffee

TestServer = require '../helpers/test_server'

describe 'Login Page', ->
  beforeAll (done) ->
    @server = new TestServer done
  
  ...
  
  afterAll (done) ->
    @server.destroy done

test_server.coffee

# spec/helpers/test_server.coffee
#
# This module is included in all the specs
fork = require('child_process').fork

class TestServer
  childCmd: "app.coffee"
  childSettings:
    cwd     : "#{__dirname}/../.."
    execPath: "./node_modules/coffee-script/bin/coffee"

  constructor: (done) ->
    @child = fork @childCmd, [], @childSettings
    @child.on 'message', (data) ->
      done() if data.status is 'message'
      
  destroy: (done) =>
    @child.on 'exit', -> done()
    @child.kill 'SIGTERM'