Debugging tern.js with Nodeclipse

When you develop a JavaScript tern plugin you can debug it with breakpoints by using :

• Web Browser tooling like Chrome Developer Tools. It works great but some tern plugin can works only with node.js like Closure Library
• To debug tern plugin which works only with node.js, you can use Nodeclipse

This section explains step by step how to debug with breakpoints RequireJS tern plugin with Nodeclipse

Note that the procedure is a litlle complex and not perfect and should be improved.

Installation

• Install Nodeclipse
• Install tern.java >= 0.4.0

Create sample project

• Create a simple project
• Convert the project to tern
• Select Closure Library in the property page Tern -> Modules

Configure Remote Access

In the global preferences Tern -> Node.js, select Remote access with 1234 port.

Create tern Nodeclipse project

• Create a Nodeclipse project that you can name with tern
• Go to your eclipse/plugins folder and copy/paste the content of the node_modules of tern.core plugin
• Rename tern\bin\tern to tern\bin\tern.js

Start tern in debug mode

• Select tern\bin\tern.js and open the contextual menu with Debug As -> Node Application
• Stop the debug.
• Edit the launch which has be created :
• Program arguments: --port 1234
• Working Directory: ${workspace_loc:/test-requirejs}
• Restart the debug

Go go go for the debug

• Open tern\plugin\requirejs.js
• set a breakpoint after infer.registerFunction("requireJS"
• go the the sample project and type require and Ctrl+Space

It calls tern.js server and breakpoint is executed.