how to properly close node-express server?

Question

I need to close server after getting callback from /auth/github/callback url. With usual HTTP API closing server is currently supporting with server.close([callback]) API function, but with node-express server i’m getting TypeError: Object function app(req, res){ app.handle(req, res); } has no method 'close' error. And I don't know how to find information to solve this problem.
How should I close express server?

NodeJS configuration notes:

$ node --version
v0.8.17
$ npm --version
1.2.0
$ npm view express version
3.0.6

Actual application code:

var app = express();

// configure Express
app.configure(function() {
    // … configuration
});

app.get(
    '/auth/github/callback',
    passport.authenticate('github', { failureRedirect: '/login' }),
    function(req, res) {
        res.redirect('/');

        setTimeout(function () {
            app.close();
            // TypeError: Object function app(req, res){ app.handle(req, res); } has no method 'close'
        }, 3000)
    }
);

app.listen('http://localhost:5000/');

Also, I have found ‘nodejs express close…’ but I don't sure if I can use it with code I have: var app = express();.

Answer 1

app.listen() returns http.Server. You should invoke close() on that instance and not on app instance.

Ex.

app.get(
    '/auth/github/callback',
    passport.authenticate('github', { failureRedirect: '/login' }),
    function(req, res) {
        res.redirect('/');

        setTimeout(function () {
            server.close();
            // ^^^^^^^^^^^
        }, 3000)
    }
);

var server = app.listen('http://localhost:5000/');

You can inspect sources: /node_modules/express/lib/application.js

Answer 2

In express v3 they removed this function.

You can still achieve the same by assigning the result of app.listen() function and apply close on it:

var server = app.listen(3000);
server.close((err) => {
  console.log('server closed')
  process.exit(err ? 1 : 0)
})

https://github.com/visionmedia/express/issues/1366

Answer 3

If any error occurs in your express app then you must have to close the server and you can do that like below-

var app = express();
var server = app.listen(process.env.PORT || 5000)

If any error occurs then our application will get a signal named SIGTERM. You can read more SIGTERM here - https://www.gnu.org/software/libc/manual/html_node/Termination-Signals.html

process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
  console.info('SIGTERM signal received.');
  console.log('Closing http server.');
  server.close((err) => {
    console.log('Http server closed.');
    process.exit(err ? 1 : 0);
  });
});