# How to start Node.js app windowless in Windows

**Date:** 2016-07-31  
**Author:** Kees C. Bakker  
**Categories:** Automation, Node.js  
**Original:** https://keestalkstech.com/start-nodejs-app-windowless-windows/

![How to start Node.js app windowless in Windows](https://keestalkstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/node-wallpaper.jpg)

---

Node.js is getting more popular by the day. It breaks JavaScript free from the browser. I would love to auto start an application - much like a Windows service - without keeping a console window open. There are many programs / services to wrap node applications into an executable, but I like to stick with just Node. This small trick will start your Node application windowless on Windows.

## VBS to the rescue

I've created a small Visual Basic Script called `app.vbs` that will start your node application within a hidden window:

```powershell
CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run "node app.js", 0
```

The little zero at the end [does the trick](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d5fk67ky(v=vs.84).aspx#Anchor_2). The string is the command to start the node process with the `app.js`. The `.vbs` extension is executable in Windows.

## Autostart

To execute it automatically at startup, open the `%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\` directory and add a shortcut to the `app.vbs` file.

## Proof of concept

So let's build a small app to proof that it works. The following script will create a web server and log all the requests to a debug file. We'll stream the file back. The `/clear` will clear the log file. The `/kill` will stop the app - this is very important, because the app will be started without a window. This will give us an easy way to shut it down.

```js
var app = require('express')();
var fs = require('fs');
var util = require('util');
var logFileName = __dirname + '/debug.log';

//log number of requests
var nrOfRequests = 0;

//capture all requests
app.get('*', (req, res) => {

    nrOfRequests++;
    console.log(`${nrOfRequests}. [${req.url}] on ${new Date()}`);

    res.sendFile(logFileName, () => {
        if (req.url == '/kill')
            setTimeout(() => process.exit(), 500);
        else if (req.url == '/clear') {
            fs.createWriteStream(logFileName, { flags: 'w' })
        }
    });
});

//log to file
var logFile = fs.createWriteStream(logFileName, { flags: 'a' });
var logProxy = console.log;
console.log = function (d) { //
    logFile.write(util.format(d || '') + '\n');
    logProxy.apply(this, arguments);
};

//start listening
var port = process.env.PORT || 5000;
app.listen(port, function () {
    console.log('Application started on ' + new Date());
    console.log("Listening on " + port);
});
```

## Try it out!

Don't forget to execute a `npm install express` to install the web server! Always make sure that the `node app.js` works. The `.vbs` will not create a window, so you won't see if it crashes.

## Wrap-up

So, that's it. Pretty easy. Remember: this only works under Windows! Also remember: windowless applications can't be terminated using the CTRL+C command. Killing the process in the task manager will.